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DETAILED    HIS TOBY 


SIEGf  OF  VICKSBURG, 


:B"5T   .A.,   S.    ABRAMS, 


OF  NEW  ORLEANS. 


Entered  according  to  act  of  Congress,  iu  the  year  lv 

BY  A.  S.  ABRAMS, 

llie  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court,  of  the  Confederate  States  for 
the  Northern  District  of  Geoigia 


- 

i 


^l    FULL 


,^D 


I)  E  T  A  J  L  E I)    H I  S  T  O  R  Y 


SIEGE  OF  VICKSBURG, 


FST  J±m  3.   abra: 


ATLANTA,  GEORGIA : 

ELLIGE8TCER     STEAM    POTVEK    PEI 

1863. 


■  Pi 


'TO 


MAJOR  GENERAL  WM.  LORING. 

Cljts  jlistorg  is  najptMjj  $ri)irdte&, 


IX    HUMBLE'   APPRECIATION    OF 


HIS  SKILL  AS  AN  OFFIOEE, 


BY 


$l)e  3lutl)oi\ 


/V 


AUTHOR'S   PREFACE 


Soon  after  my  arrival  from  Vicksburg,  where  I  was  I 
contributed  two  articles  to  the ''Advertiser  and  Register,"  of  Mobile, 
Alabama,  under  the  signature  of  tv  One  .  of  tub  Gaurison."  One  of 
these  articles  was  an  account  of  the  Battle  of  Baker's  Creek  and  Big 
Black,  and  the  other  a  condensed  account  of  the  Siege  of  Vicksbur*- 
The  statements  made  in  these  two  articles  were  from  my  own  personal 
observation,  and  information  received  from  sources  of  undoubted  ve- 
racity. 

The  appearance  of  my  two  articles  became  the  theme  of  Crit 
by  the  press.  Some  of  which  were  favorable,  but  others  bitterly  de- 
nounced the  author  as  having  acted  through  a  feeling  of  prejudice 
against  General  Pemberton.  Aware,  as  I  am,  tint  none  iu  the  Confede- 
racy acted  in  a  more  cordial  manner  towards  that  General's  control  of 
the  Army  of  Vicksburg  than  I  did,  I  did  not  notice  the  many  denuncia- 
tory remarks  made,  at  the  time,  but  compiled  the  work  presented  for  the 
purpose  of  showing,  that  instead  of  being  as  censorious  as  the  case  al- 
lowed, I  had  kept  silent  in  many  things,  which,  had  they  been  made 
public,  would  have  raised  a  clamor  against  General  Pemberton  of  a  far 
more  violent  nature  than  what  was  hurled  at  him. 

The  author  claims  the  right  of  knowing  as  much  about  the  sieire  61 
Vicksburg  as  any  one  residing  in  that  town,  from  the  fact  that  he 
that  point,  in  Company  A,  Withers'  Light  Artillery,  as  a  private,  when 
the  first  gun  was  fired  in  its  defense,  and  served  as  such  until  the  raising 
of  the  first  siege.  In  September,  1862;  he  was  discharged  from  the  army 
on  account  of  sickness,  and  bein  j  unable  to  return  to  his  home,  (New 
Orleans)  obtained  a  position  in  the  office  of  the  ''Vicksburg  Whig,"  where 
he  remained  until  its  destruction  by  lire  in  the  early  part  of  May,  ISGO, 
and  was  taken  prisoner  and  paroled  after  the  surrender. 

All  the  statements  made  in  this  work  were  either  the  result  of  the  As. 
thor's  observation,  or  obtained  from  parties  whose  standing  in  the  Army 
warrants  the  Author  in  sa}-ing  that  the  statements  are  beyond  dispute, 
and,  did  not  military  law  prevent  it,  the  names  of  many  prominent  offi- 
cers could  be  called  in  corroboration  of  all  that  is  written  in  this  woik^ 
My  remarks  are  not  only  my  own  opinions,  but  the  conclusions  to  which 
nine-tenths  of  the  officers  comprising  the  garrison  of  Vicksburg  arrived 


*  *  ,*-w  ^„  ^~ 


4  rj^EFACE. 

at  some  time  before  the  attack  en  Grand  Gulf,  and  verified  by  the  results 
following. 

All  that  has  been  said  or  written,  in  defense  of  Gen.  Pemberton's  cam- 
paign, is  fairly  laid  before  the  public,  at  the  same  time  the  Anther  brings 
forward  all  the  evidence  possible  to  prove  that  the  defense  is  not  one  to 
which  any  credence  can  be  attached.  He,  however,  leaves  it  to  the  judg- 
ment of  the  reader,  whether  the  defense  made  is  sufficiently  strong  re? 
falsify  his  assertions. 

In  conclusion  the  Author  would  say,  that  although  aware  of  the 
criticisms  that  a  work  of  this  nature  will  be  subject  to,  he  gives  it  to 
the  public  without  fearing  the  censure  of  any.  To  those  not  ink 
in  defending  Gen.  Pemberton  from  the  errors  he  committed  during  the 
campaign,  the  work  presented  to  the  public  will  be  recognized  as,  if  a 
severe,  at  least  a  just  account  of  all  that  transpired  in  Mississippi;  and  to 
those  who  arc  inter  caUd  in  defending  Gen.  Pemberton,  as  soon  as  the  cen- 
sure of  this  work  is  made  public,  the  Author  flatters  himself  of  his  ability 
to  lay  bare  the  'inoUren  tchkh  pr&knpied  the  defense.  Conscious  that  thk- 
work  has  been  written  in  the  firm  belief  of  its  truth,  favorable  criticism 
will  be  welcome  ;  trat  the  censure" and  denunciations  of  the  press  will  not 
cause  the  least  regret  that  he  has  given  truths  and  facts  to  the  public  as- 
they  t 

A.  S,  ABRAMfr 

Atl     i  .      .    sgu,  NoVfiMBim'i  t%6fk 


THE  SIEGE  OF  VICKSBURG. 

TARTER  I. 

THE  FIRST  SIEGE.  ;:.     -,: 

On  the  ISth  day  of  May,  1862,  the  advance  divi  Com- 

modore Farragut's  fleet,  under  Lieutenant  Lee,  United  States 
Xavy,  arrived  below  Vicksbuf^,  from  Xew  Orleans,  and  de- 
manded the  surrender  of  the  city.  (It  may  be  proper  to  state, 
that  as  soon  as  Xe\7  Orleans  fell,  the  heights  of  Vicksburg 
were  fortiiied,  it  is  said  by  advice  of  Gen.  Beauregard.)  The 
demand  was  refused,  and  the  Federal  commander  gave  twenty- 
four  hours'  notice  for  the  women  and  children  to  quit  the  town. 

In  accordance  with  the  notice,  Major  General,  then  Brigadier 
General,  M.  L.  Smith,  commanding  the  defenses,  ordered  all 
non-combatants  to  leave  the  town,  and  actively  prepared  \^>r 
the  enemy.  At  this  time  the  garrison  consisted  of  the  follow- 
ing regiments:  the  26th,  27th,"28th,  00th,  31st  and  4th  Louisi- 
ana infantry;  the  1st  re'giment  and  8th  battalion  of  Louisiana 
heavy  artillery ;  1st  Tennessee  heavy  artillery ;  3d  Mississippi 
battalion  of  infantry;  Withers' light  artillery  regiment  often 
line  batteries,  and  Stark's  regiment  of  cavalry. 

On  the  26th  of  May  the   first  bombardment  took   j 
was  continued  with  little  or  no  damage  to  tl  .  until  the 

departure  of  the  fleet. 

The  enemy's  land  forces,  under  brigadier  General  Will 
occupied  the  Louisiana  shore,  nearly  opposite  Warrenton,  and 
about  twelve  miles  below  Vicksburg,  to  the  number  of  0,000, 
but  attempted  no  demonstration   against  the  city,  being 
there  more  as  a  corps  of  observation,  than  for  the  p 
making  an  offensive  movement. 

It  had  been  a  matter   of  surprise  to  a   great    n 
that  Vicksburg  was  not  then  attacked  by  land,  as  from  thi 
bie  nature  of  our  defenses,  and  the  small  number  of  m 
ing  it,  we  could  easily  have  been   defeated  in  a  pitched  battle 
and  driven  out;  but  General  Butler  lacked  both  the  capacity 
and  force  to  attempt  an  enterprise  of  so  bold  a  nature.    Beside* 
which.  Memphis  beirig  in  our  possession  thej 


6  THE    SIEGE    OF    VICKSEURG. 

confronting  Halleck  with  an  army  of  tried  veterans,  any  serious 
attack  on  Vicksburg,  if  defeated,  would  have  placed  Butler  in 
New  Orleans,  and  Halleck  before  Corinth,  in  a  very  dangerous 
position,  so  that,  taking  all  things  into  consideration,  it  is  now 
evident  that  the  enemy  was  not  then  prepared  to  take  Vicks- 
"burg,  and  the  bombardment  was  only  to  keep  us  on  the  qui 
vive,  and  compel  us  to  mass  troops  there;  thus  either  weaken- 
ing, or  preventing  reinforcements  from  going  to,  Beauregard, 
so  that  Halleck  would  be  enabled  to  overpower  and  destroy  the 
only  barrier  to  his  sweeping  through  Mississippi,  Tennessee  and 
Alabama.     That  that  was  the  plan,  after  events  made  evident. 

The  capture  of  New  Orleans  was  an  event  less  expected  by 
the  enemy  than  by  our  people.  The  attack  on  the  forts  was 
for  the  same  purpose  as  the  after  bombardment  of  Vicksburg, 
viz :  to  keep  us  on  the  alert,  and  prevent  any  troops  from  being 
sent  to  Beauregard.  The  capture  of  New  Orleans  did  them 
more  harm  than  good,  and  had  we  neglected  to  fortify  Vicks- 
burg,  and  held  Memphis,  the  result  would  have  been  greatly  in 
our  favor;  for,  by  sending  the  10,000  or  12,000  troops  defend- 
ing Vicksburg  to  Corinth,  Beauregard  would  have  been  able  to 
assume  the  offensive  and  drive  Halleck  from  Tennessee.  But- 
ler's force  in  Louisiana  was  scarcely  more  than  enough  to  hold 
the  city  of  New  Orleans ;  therefore,  no  attempt  of  a  serious 
nature  would  have  been  made  to  penetrate  the  interior  of  the 
State  of  Mississippi.  But  to  resume  our  account  of  the  first 
siege. 

On  the  28th  of  June,  1802,  the  first  serious  assault  was  made 
by  the  enemy  on  water.  At  about  two  o'clock  on  the  morning 
of  that  day,  seven  of  the  enemy's  boats  advanced  in  front  of 
the  city,  and  attempted  to  pass  the  batteries.  A  terrific  bom- 
bardment ensued,  but  in  consequence  of  our  having  only  seven 
guns  mounted  at  that  time,  the  attempt  was  successful,  and  the 
fleet  passed  up. 

Soon  after  the  commencement  of  the  siege,  Major  General 
Earl  Van  Dorn  was  sent  to  Vicksburg,  and  placed  in  command 
over  Brigadier  General  M.  L.  Smith.  His  arrival  was  hailed 
with  joy  by  the  people  of  Mississippi,  as  an  advent  of  success 
to  our  arms,  Gen.  Van  Dorn  having  the  reputation  of  being  a 
"  fighting  num."  Soon  after  his  arrival,  the  garrisen  was  re- 
inforced by  Major  General  Breckinridge's  division,  from  Beau- 
regard's army. 

The  bombardment  progressed  slowly  until  the  15th  of  July, 
when  the  Confederate  ram  u  Arkansas"  successfully  run  the 
gauntlet,  through  thirty  of  the  enemy's  gun  and  mortar  boats. 
"This  feat,  in  pomt  of  daring,  was  the  most  brilliant  and  success- 
ful of  the  war,  and  reflected  great  credit  on  Lieutenant  Brown, 
the  commander.  In  referring  to  this  boat,  we  cannot  resist, 
making  a  few  observations  on  the  folly  of  Gen.  Van  Dorn  in 
sending  her  to  Baton  Rouge,  as,  if  she  had  been  kept  at  Vieks- 


THE    SIEGE    OF    VKKSEUKG.  J 

burg,  after  the  occupation  of  Port  Hudson,  she  would  have 
been  the  means  of  keeping  the  river  open  between  that  place 
and  Vicksburg.  Not  a  single  Yankee  transport  would  have 
dared  to  pass  our  batteries,  though  fear  of  being  captured  or 
destroyed  by  her,  and  those  gunboats  which  had  the  temerity 
to  venture  past,  would  have  fallen  an  easy  prey  to  her,  aided  as 
she  would  have  been  by  the  gunboats  Webb  and  Beatty.  The 
end  of  this  famous  ram  was  her  destruction  near  Baton  Rouge, 
where  she  had  gone  for  the  purpose  of  co-operating  with  the 
land  forces  under  Van  Dorn.  Her  machinery  is  said  to  have 
been  damaged  on  the  trip,  and  she  was  blown  up  to  prevent  her 
falling  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy. 

At  about  seven  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  the  same  day  that 
the  Arkansas  ran  past  the  Yankee  fleet,  five  of  their  gun  boats 
came  down  and  endeavored  to  cut  the  Arkansas  from  her  moor- 
ings under  our  batteries.  The  effort  was  unsuccessful,  and  they 
were  compelled  to  hasten  down  the  river,  two  of  their  boats 
having  been  severely  damaged  by  our  guns. 

Nothing  of  interest  transpired  from  that  time  until  the  25th 
of  July,  1 8623  when  the  two  fleets  retired,  having  accomplished 
nothing  more  than  keeping  eight  or  ten  thousand  men  idle  at 
that  point. 

It  was  during  this  siege  that  the  Confederate  troops  discov- 
ered the  comparative  harmlessness  of  mortar  shells.  Heretofore 
these  missiles  ^jiad  been  looked  upon  with  great  awe  by  our 
army.  The  gunboat  panic  also  died  away  at  this  time,  it  hav- 
ing been  found  by  long  experience  that  they  were  not  half  so 
formidable  as  fear  had  pictured  them. 

During  this  siege,  which  lasted  six  weeks,  the  entire  number 
of  shells  thrown  from  the  enemy  ,  were  estimated  at  from 

25,000  to  30,000.  The  casualties  resulting  from  this  large  num- 
ber were  surprisingly  small ;  there  being  but  twenty-two  sol- 
diers killed  and  wounded,  and  one  female  and  a  negro  killed. 
The  female  referred  to  was  a  most  estimable  lady  named  Mrs. 
Gamble,  who  had  won  the  esteem  of  all  who  knew  her,  by  her 
many  amiable  qualities,  and  among  the  soldiers  was  looked  upon 
with  great  respect  and  friendship^  for  her  constant  and  untiring 
kindness  to  them. 

It  was  during  the  first  sieg  f  Vicksburg  that  the  heroism 
■  Southern  women  was  fully  illustrated.  On  the  morning 
tb  of.  June,  when  the  enemy's  fleet  passed  our  batte- 
ries, going  up  the  river,  and  shells  were  falling  thick  as  hail  in 
the  streets  of  the  city,  crowds  of  ladies  could  have  been  seen 
O.n  the  "Court  Jjouser"  "Sky  Parlor,"  and  other  prominent 
places  in  the  city,  gazing  upon,  as  they  termed  it,  the  "magnifi- 
cent scene." 

•  On  the  departure  of  the  United  States  fleet  from  Vicksburg, 
Gen.  Breckinridge  s  division,  together  with  the  4th  Louisiana 
regiment,  <  from  Y 


8  THE    SIBGH   OE    VtCKSBUBO. 

Thus  ended  the  first  siege  of  Vicksburg,  in  which  nothing- 
was  gained  by  the  Confederate  forces  to  have  warranted  the 
amount  of  consequence  placed  upon  its  successful  defense.  The 
enemy  never  attempted  any  attack  by  land  on  it,  and  the  de- 
monstrations of  the  fleet,  even  had  they  been  successful,  would 
have  been  of  no  avail  without  a  corresponding  success  on  th? 
part  of  their  land  forces.  It  is  true  that  the  importance  of  the 
position  was  as  much  magnified  in  the  North  as  it  was  in  the 
South,  and  the  failure  to  capture  the  city,  made  them  as  despon- 
dent as  it  made  us  rejoice. 


CHAPTER  II. 

INTERIM  BETWEEN  THE  FIRST  AND  SECOND  SIEGE. 

After  the  departure  of  the  enemy's  fleet,  business 
measure  resumed  its  wonted  activity.  Port  Hudson  having 
been  occupied  by  the  Confederate  forces,  had  been  fortified, 
thus  giving  us  control  of  the  river  from  that  point  to  Vicks- 
burg ;  trade  revived  with  Red  River,  and  steamboats  regularly 
arrived.  It  was  at  this  time  that  the  city  should  have  been 
placed  in  a  position  to  sustain  a  protracted  siege,  as  there  was 
always  a  sufficient  supply  of  beeves  in  Texas  ft*  have'  enabled 
us  to  procure  any  number  without  difficulty ;  corn  was  also  in 
abundance,  and  could  have  been  bought  cheap  at  that  time. 

Soon  after  the  fatal  battle  of  Corinth,  Major  Gen.  Earl  Van 
Dorn  was  removed  from  command,  and  Major  Gen.  Pemberton 
was  placed  in  command  of  the  Department  of  Mississippi  and 
East  Louisiana,  and  in  consequence  of  his  being  out-ranked  by 
both  Gen.  Van  Dorn  and  Gen.  Lovell,  was  soon  after  appointed 
a  Lieutenant  General.  With  almost  an  unanimous  voice,  his  ap- ' 
pointment  to  such  a  responsible  position  was  the  subject  of  re- 
gret. It  had  been  known  that  Gen.  Pemberton  was  in  favor  of 
evacuating  all  points  held  by  our  forces  on  the  water,  and  had 
actually  recommended  the  destruction  of  the  works  in  Charles- 
ton harbor,  and  the  evacuation  of  the  city.  It  was,  therefore, 
a  matter  of  great  surprise,  when  it  was  announced  that  he  was 
appointed  to  command  a  place  that,  since  the  fall  of  Memphis, 
had  been  universally  acknowledged  as  one  of  the  most  impor- 
tant positions  in  the  Confederacy.  -Gen.  Pemberton  was  not  a 
man  that  had  won  a  name  for  capacity  during  the  wTar.  He  had 
never  been  on  a  battle-field,  and  bore  no  reputation  as  a  com- 
mander. And  here  it  was  that  the  President  made  the  only 
grave  error  that  has  given  cause  to  censure  his  administration. 

Duriug  the  time  that  elapsed  from  the  departure  of  the  ene- 
mv's  fleet  to  the  arrival  of  Lieutenant  General  Pemberton,  sev- 


TH2    SIE'',^    Of    VtC&SBI 


era!  additional  batteries  had  been  erected  above  the  town,  and 
«S£ J°rw  n-Sd  bfVhro™  «*  f">°>  Chickasaw  Barer 
f3-«   i%     l?°n  "m  Yazoo  river,  which  point  had  also  been 
fortified,  for  the. purpose  of  preventing  the  enemy's  boats  iron, 
ascending  the  river. 

..The  number  of  guns  mounted  at  this  time,  alon<r  the  river 
did  not  exceed  eighteen,  and  of  these  not  more  thanfour  or 
were  of  large  calibre. 

On  the  .arrival  of  Lieutenant  Genera!  Pemberton,  the  people 
anticipated  that  immediate  steps  would  have  been  taken  to  pro 
cure  a  number  01  the  heaviest  kind  of  guns,  and  that  new  bat- 
teries would  have  been  immediatelv  erected.  To  their  utter 
astonishment  the  Lieutenant  General  remained  in  Jackson,  and 
except  an  occasional  visit,  appeared  to  forget  that  such  a  pi 
existed  as  Vicksburg.  Absolutely  nothing  was  done  for  the 
further  defense  of  the  city.  Not'  a  single- additional  gun  was 
mounted   and  nr«  means  whatever  taken  to  strengt I  •  „,.si- 

Uon,  mit.l  after  the  battle  of  Chickasaw  Bayou,  when  the  Lieu 
General  Appeared  for  a  moment  to  awake  from  his  lethargy      " 
A. %v?S  ,reaso»ab::  .  :■■!.   while   we  held  poss, 

the  river  from  Port  Hudson  to  Vicksburg,  that  prompt  . 
sures jroifld  -tare been   taken   to  transport  all  the  p? 
possible  f,.om  j0 m  ,    ,  j.         |0  Vicks])         fc   P    ^ 

not  the  case.     Boat  after   boat  arrrived.  and   nothin-r  could 

nearlv"ainS"gal'  ^  P****     ^"^  aU  *«  mri^d 
nW™JS  Tn    "'  ""-'  Sovernment,  but   if  the  assertions  of 
•oT/J    Pf  1a,''%me!,cmi  be  believed,  suck  Va«  hot  thee 
tor  a  great  dca.  of  it  belonged  to  privac  individuals,  who  had 
■t  transported  on  government  boats  for  a  brofit. 

burg  was  forgotten  m  the  thirst  for  speculation. 

in :  the  month  of  December  it  Was  announced  through  tl 
Northern  press  that  Mujor  General  McClernand  was  entrusted 
ZSAtiEF?*  ".^M^ssippl  river,  and  althoogh  the  ■ 
people  of  Hississippi  had  become  thoroughly  disgusted  with 

W?ho  wmi?managT!'-'nt  ?,'  th°  **!»«£  many  believed 
JikLtoX    #I°i!M  a.vall'a!1''   Prompt   measures  would   ' 

was  not  'o3  ^H ',C H    "'g  '"  **  ^'^  State  of  defense;  bu 
Genera   TW     I  ^  L*Pathy  WM  evlnced   b>'  Lieut™ 

kWn  t    t  in'  a?'l-nQth,In-  tt  This  &ct  was  well 

kn«wn  to  the  press  of  Vicksburg,  but  from  fear  of  its 
■M  to    he  enemy    nothing  was  said  in  condemnation 

stance   '"  SU         Tl  °T  twiwVwhe!1  s":ne  ^graceful  circu, 
stance  had  occurred,  the  voice  of  censure  would  be  heard. ;  1 
as  this  was  of  rare  occurrence,  in  this  way  the  public  ova 
\  icksburg  were  led  to  bel  eve  that  everything 

^WoXed  (° Vts  tfonso-  -Vone  s"' 

ten    !     m  ^ .  brforo  b"?'  tbat  ^"tenan 
ton    would  neglect   to  perform  those 


10  TEE    SIEGE    OF    VICKSBURG. 

meanest  private  in  the  army.  To  the  disgrace  of  the  coun- 
try be  it  known,  that  the  work  of  throwing  up  fortifica- 
tions, provisioning  the  city,  and  procuring  a  proper  supply  of 
ammunition,  was  left  solely  to  the  superintendence  of  subordi- 
nate officers. 

We  strive  in  vain  to  find  one  single  act  of  Lieutenant  General 
Peniberton  that  can  entitle  him  to  praise.  Everything  that 
comes  before  us  wears  an  aspect  of  incompetency ;  and  from 
the  fact*  before  ii£  Ave  are  compelled  to  say,  that  hod  a  Lee,  a 
Beauregard,  a  Bragg,  or  a  Johnston  been  appointed  to  defend 
it,  Vicksburg  would  never  have  fallen,  as  those  Generals  would 
never  have  been  guilty  of  the  gross  ignorance  that  character- 
ized the  movements  of  Lieutenant  General  Pemberton. 

There  are  five  things  that  occurred  in  the  control  of  his  de- 
partment, for  which  we  look  in  vain  for  some  excuse,  whereby 
we  can  in  some,  measure  remove  the  responsibility  from  General 
Pemberton's  shoulders.  First.  The  cause  of  there  not  being 
enough  provisions  to  have  lasted  a  siege  of  six  months,  stored 
away  in  the  city.  Second.  The  neglect  to  reinforce  Brigadier 
General  Bowen  with  sufficient  troops  to  hold  the  enemy  in 
check  until  Johnston  could  arrive  with  reinforcements.  Third. 
The  cause  of  our  fortifications  around  Vicksburg  not  being 
completed  during  the  five  months  preceding  the  siege.  Fourth. 
The  reason  of  the  works  being  so  defective,  that  the  damage 
done  to  them  in  the  day,  from  the  fire  of  the  enemy,  could  not 
be  fully  repaired  by  a  large  force  of  laborers  in  the  night.  Fifth. 
The  cause  of  our  army  remaining  on  the  west  of  Big  Black 
river,  while  the  enemy  were  marching,  with  their  rear  exposed, 
towards  Jackson,  and  the  majority  of  our  officers  favored  an 
advance  movement;  and  why  it  was  that  the  advance  was  not 
made  when  General  Johnston  ordered  it.  We  look  in  vain  for 
some  excuse  to  palliate  these  errors,  and  are  compelled,  however 
reluctantly,  to  come  to  the  conclusion,  that  it  was  through  gross 
neglect  of  duty  that  Vicksburg  wTas  not  provisioned  largely  ; 
that  it  was  through  mismanagement  that  Ave  lost  the  battle  of 
Baker's  Creek;  that  it  Avas  through  incompetency  that  Bowen 
Avas  not  reinforced  ;  that  it  Avas  through  a  proper  Avant  of  skill 
and  energy  that  the  Avorks  around  the  city  Avere  not  comple- 
ted before  our  army  fell  back  into  Vicksburg ;  and  that  it  Avas 
through  a  Avant  of  generalship  that  the  enemy  Avas  allowed  to 
march  towards  Jackson  Avithout  General  Pemberton  promptly 
attacking  him  in  the  rear. 

To  every  one  of  these  errors,  Ave  find  circumstances  of  so 
glaring  a  character  that  nothing  said  will  ever  satisfy  the  peo- 
ple that  they  were  unavoidable.  With  respect  to  the  provision- 
ing of  Vicksburg,  we* must  emphatically  deny  that,  there  Avas 
any  difficulty  in  provisioning  it.  Many  of  the  planters  volunta- 
rily offered  their  crops  to  the  gOA^ernment  for  a  sniali  price,  or 
free  of  charge.     Among  these  are  Col.  Benson   Blake,  now  in 


THE   SIEGE    OF    VICKSBUBGi  H 

-.he  Confederate  Army,  Col.  Auter,  Dr.  P.  H.  Cook,  and  others, 
all  men  of  standing  and  respectability  in  the  State;  and  a  short 
time  before  the  investment,  a  committee  of  three  planters  arrived 
in  Vicksburg,  with  an  offer  from  the  planters  of  the  Yazoo  and 
Deer  Creek  district-,  to  give  the  government  all  their  crops 
free  of  <-har(/e,  if  the  officials  at  Vicksburg  would  haul  it  awav 
These  gentlemen,  on  arriving,  wont  from  one  quartermaster  to 
the  other.,  and  from  one  commissary  to  the  other,  but  each  of 
the  parties  thus  applied  to.  disclaimed  beintr  the  proper  one  to 
receive  their  offer,  and  stated  that  they  were  unable  to  inform 
:1*e  '-  *    <vho  the  proper  person  was.     The  committee 

after  using  their  best  endeavors  to  find  some  one  to  deliver  the 
offer  to,  and  seeing  that  the  utmost  indifference  was  manifested 
],yt]"  m  they  tendered   their  offer,  whether  it 

wa**  me  disgusted  and  returned  home. 

With  respect  to  the  reinforcing  of  Bo  wen  at  Grand  Gulf,  we 
can  only  say  that  it  was  the  almost  uanimous  opinion  of' our 
Generals  that  the  buttle  of  Vicksburg  blight  to  have  been  fought 
there,  and  it  is  the  general  belief  that  had  our  entire  armv  been 
massed  at  that  point,  we  could  have  defeated  Grant,  and  "driven 
him  into  the  river'. 

battle  of  Baker's  Creek,  and  the  defect  in  our  works 
around  Vicksburg,  will  be  referred  to  in  another  portion  of  this 
book. 


APTER  III. 
EN  FIRST  AND  SECOND  SIEGE-  t   y tinued.) 

During  the  period  elapsing  between  the  first  and  second  sieo-e, 
the  city  had  assumed  a  busy  appearance  ;  numerous  stores  were 
opened,  and  business,  in  a  great  measure,  resumed  its  wonted 

activity. 

The  entire  strengtv  of  our  river  batteries,  at  this  time,  did 
not  exceed  twenty-three  guns,  mounted  along  a  space  of  several 
miles  from  near  the  Village  of  Warrentom  to  a  place  called 
Mint  Spring,  above  the  city.  This  small  number  of  guns  was 
madequate  to  prevent  the  passage  of  the  enemy's  boats,  as  was 
afterwards  proven  by  the  safe  running  past  of  the  Queen  of  the 
TfcsA  1/idiaiaola,  Mmuwch  and  Lancaster,  and  the  passage  of 
the  enemy's  fleet  of  gunboats  and  transports,  on  the  night  of 
the  twenty-second  of  April.  While  acknowledging  that  the 
number  01  guns  was  insufficient  to  prevent  their  passage  entire- 
ly, we  insist  that  had  a  proper  degree  of  vigilance  been  exer- 
cised by  the  officers  commanding  our  batteries,  the  enemy  could 
never  have  auceee<  Lavino-  at 


12  '-THE    SIEftE    OF    YICFLSBCKG. 

least  one-half  of  them  destroyed ;  but  no  vigilance  was  exer- 
cised,— no  discipline  kept  np  among  the  officers  ;  it  Was  one 
constant  scene  of  merriment  among  those  who  were  not  devo- 
tees to  Bacchus,  and  one  uninterrupted  course  of  drunken  brawls 
among  those  that  were.  Any  qnantity  of  officers,  dressed  up 
in  all  the  toggery  of  gold  lace  and  brass  buttons,  could  be  seen 
promenading  the  streets,  and  a  civilian  could  scarcely  enter  a 
private  residence  without  finding  three  or  four  of  these  gentry 
on  a  visit.  So  outrageous  had  this  laxity  of  discipline  become, 
that  the  press  of  Vicksburg  was  at  last  compelled  to  call  atten- 
tion to  it.  The  censuro  had  little  or  no  effect,  and  the  same 
course  was  pursued. 

On  the  commencement  of  the  month  of  December,  the  move- 
ments of  the  United  States  army  plainly  indicated  that  the 
storm,  which  had  been  so  long  gathering,  would  soon  burst 
upon  the  devoted  city,  and  the  first  intimation  received  was  the 
landing  of  Sherman's  corps  on  the  Yazoo,  and  which  resulted 
in  the  battles  of  the  28th,  20th  and  30th  of  December,  and 
known  as  the  battles  of  Chickasaw  Bayou,  an  account  of  which 
we  will  give  in  the  following  chapter. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

THE  BATTLES  OF  CHICKASAW  BAYOU. 

Chickasaw  Bayou  is  situated  about  three  miles  above  Vioks- 
burg,  and  is  a  low  and  swampy  portion  of  the  County  of  War- 
ren, in  Mississippi.  When  the  Yazoo  river  rises  and  overflows 
its  banks,  the  water  runs  over  that  section  of  the  county,  and 
forms  the  Bayou  from  whence  its  name  is  devired. 

A  long  line  of  breastworks  and  rifle-pits  had  been  built  at 
this  place,  extending  in  a  zigzag  line  from  our  river  batteries, 
above  Vicksburg,  to  the  fortifications  on  the  Yazoo  river,  near 
Snyder's  Bluff.  The  position  was  of  great  natural  strength, 
being  largely  intersected  with  creeks  and  swamps,  and  offered 
great  impediment  to  the  advance  of  hostile  forces. 

On  the  morning  of  the  2Sth  of  December,  the  enemy  having 
landed  commenced  driving  in  our  pickets,  and  threw  forward  a 
body  of  infantry  to  throw  a  pontoon  bridge  across  a  creek  that 
lay  between  them  and  our  works.  The  building  of  the  pontoon 
was  stoutly  resisted  for  some  time,  but  artillery  having  been 
brought  to  bear  upon  our  men  they  were  forced  to  retire,  and 
the  enemy  crossed  over  that  night.  Skirmishing  lasted  all  day, 
with  few  or  np  casualties  to  the  Confederate  forces. 

On  the  morning  of  the  29th  the  enemy,  in  strong  force,  ad- 


THE    SIEOE    OF    YICKSBUEG.  13 

vaneed  on  our  works,  with  the  intention  of  storming  them  — 
They  marched  up  with  great  regularity  and   firmness  to  the 
charge,  and  as  soon  as  they  arrived   within  one  hundred  yards 
from  our  works  gave  a  cheer  and  rushed  on.     They  were  gal- 
lantly met  by  our  forces  under  Brigadier  General,  now  Major 
General,   Stephen  D.  Lee,   of  South  Carolina,   composed  of  a 
ide  of  Louisianians,  and  after  a  severe  engagement  repulsed 
with  great  slaughter.     Our  army,  a  few  days  previous,  had  been 
reinforced  by  General  Stephenson,  with  a  division  composed  of 
Tennesseeans,  Georgians  and  Alabamians,  who  aided  greatly  in 
Ising  the  enemy.     The  nghtinor-of  the  28th  and  17th  Lou- 
was  oi  the  most  gallant  character  possible.     Although 
s  the  first  one  in  which  the  28th  was  engaged,  and 
they  had  been  under  lire,  thev  withstocxfseveral 
ults  ot  the  enemy,  repulsing  him  each  time,  and  hold- 
Lion  throughout  the  dav.     The  fighting  of  the  17th 
I.    Unaided,  these  gallant  men,  under 
mimand   pi  the    brave  Richardson,  defeated  and  put  to 
$ght  three  lull  regiments  of  the  enemy,  led  bv  Brie  Gen-nl 
Blair  of  the  United  States  annv.  :?      •    ?^J 

On  the  morning  of  the  next 'day  (the  30th)  the  enemv  made 
a  desperate  assault  on  our  right  win g,  with  a  bodv  of* picked 
men,  numbering,  it  is. estimated,  from  8V000  to  10,000  They 
advanced  with  courage,  and  made  the  attack  with  spirit  Our 
forces  met  them  with  equal  gallantry,  and  very  soon  a  desperate 
struggle  for  mastery  commenced.  The  enemy  made  desperate 
efforts  to  storm  our  lines,  but  was  resisted  with  sdeeess  by  our 
forces,  ihree  times  ho  appeared  upon  the  point  of  carrvin^ 
the  works,  and  as  many  times,  by  dint  of  great  exertion  and 
heroism,  was  driven  back  with  heavy  loss.  The  battle  continu- 
ed long_and  desperate.  Wherever  the  danger  was  greatest,  the 
gallant  Lee  could  be  seen  urging  on  his  men,  and  inspiring  their 
with  fresh  courage.  At  last,  a  flank  movement  was  made  bv 
our  xorces,  sallying  from  the  breastworks  and  attacking  the 
enemy  on  his  Hank,  routing  him,  and  compel  ..  to  leave 

some  lour  hundred  prisoners  in  our  hands.  This  coup  J,  etat 
put  aw  end  to  the  battle,  the  enemy  having  been  punished  too 
severely  to  attempt  another  assault.     Soon  after  h  t  the 

y  S«nt  in  ajlag  of  truce, 'requesting  |  .  to   bury 

tneir  dead,  I  aaer  cover  of  this,  many  of  the  pri,  oners  escaped 
Our  loss  in  these  battles  did  not  exceed  one  hundred  an- 
twenty  m  killed  and  wounded.  Among  our  killed  was  Captain 
Hamilton  PauL  Assistant  Adjutant  General,  on  Brig,  General 
b.  V.  Lee  s  stab.  He  was  a  young  man  of  great  promise,  and 
had  gamed  the  esteem  and  friendship  of  all  who  knew  him 

lhe  loss  oi  the  enemy  is  roughly  estimated  at  twenty-five 
hundred  killed  and  wounded,  and  about  four  hundred  prisoners, 
in  the  last  day  s  battle  we  captured  from 


14  THE    SIEGE    OF    VICSfBulEiG'. 

the  enemy,  as  well  as  all  the  small  arms  left  by  them  in  their 
retreat. 

After  the  battle  of  the  30th,  no  engagement  of  any  magni- 
tude took  place  ;  the  next  night  the  enemy  re-embarked  in  their 
boats,  and  returned  to  Memphis. 


CHAPTER  Y. 

RETURN  OF  THE  ENEMY.    ■ 

Yicksburg  is  situated  on  the  Mississippi  river,  about  five  hun- 
dred and  thirty  miles  from  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  and  is  built  ou 
a  plateau  of  hills  rising  about  two  hundred  feet  above  the  water. 
These  hills  slope  gradually  upwards  from  the  banks  of  the  river, 
except  in  the  upper  portion  of  the  city,  where  they  rise  precipi- 
tously and  form  cliffs,  towering  over  the  banks  of  the  river. — 
Northward,  above  the  city,  are  a  tier  of  hills  generally  known 
as  the  "  Walnut  Hills."  The  Mississippi  river  takes  an  abrupt 
turn  at  this  point,  forming  a  peninsula  of  that  portion  of  Lou- 
isiana, opposite  Vicksburg,  for  about  two  miles,  when  it  makes 
another  abrupt  angle.  Nine  miles  above  this  second  curve  in 
the  river,  the  Yazoo  empties  itself.  The  rear  of  the  city  is  a 
succession  of  hills,  and  the  general  feature  of  the  country  is 
broken  and  largely  intersected  with  ravines.  It  is  also  greatly 
cut  up  by  bayous  and  creeks,  formed  by  the  rain  and  overflow 
of  the  numerous  springs  which  are  to  be  found  over  the  whole 
country. 

Below  Yicksburg,  at  Warrenton,  the  country  is  low  and 
marshy  for  about  six  hundred  yards  from  the  banks  of  the  river, 
when  it  makes  an  abrupt  rise,  forming  a  line  of  almost  moun- 
tainous heights. 

The  country  around  Yicksburg  is  very  fruitful.  Large  crops 
i  -:  cotton  were  usually  made,  and  at  the  time  we  are  speaking 
of,  a  very  extensive  crop  of  corn  and  other  cereals  had  been 
planted.  A  large  quantity  of  corn  and  bacon  fell  into  the  hands 
of  the  enemy  on  their  march  to  Yicksburg ;  so  large,  in  fact, 
that  from  Gen.'  Grant's  official  report,  the  entire  Yankee  army 
subsisted  for  eight  days  on  what  they  found  in  the  different 
plantations  around  Yicksburg,  and  during  the  entire  siege  tneir 
horses  and  mules  used  no  other  corn  but  that  of  the  surround- 
ing planters. 

From  the  time  the  attack  on  our  works  on  Chickasaw  Bayou 
was  made,  to  the  return  of  the  enemy,  but  little  or  nothing  was 
done  to  strengthen  our  position.  The  fortifications  in  the  rear 
of  the  city  were  commenced",  but  progressed  slowly.     It  was 


THE    SIEGE    QV    YIOKSBSBG.  15 

not  anticipated  that  they  would  be  required,  but  to  use  the  words 
of  a  prominent  officer  there,  were  l>  only  thrown  up  to  satisfy 
the  public."  In  another  portion  of  this  book  we  will  make  fur- 
ther remarks  on  the  line  of  defenses  that  encircled  Vicksburg. 

On  the  22d  of  January,  1863,  intelligence  was  received  that 
fifty  gunboats  and  transports  had  pa>sed  Greenville,  coming 
down,  and  the  following  day  a  large  fleet  laden  with  troops  ar- 
rived at  the  bend  of  the  river  above  Vicksburg,  known  as 
"Young's  Point."  As  soon  as  the  boats  arrived,  the  enemy 
landed  on  the  Louisiana  shore,  at  a  place  called  "  White's  Plan- 
tation," which  in  a  few  hours  became  dotted  with  tents.  The 
gigantic  plan  of  cutting  a  canal  through  the  lower  end  of  the 
peninsula  was  then  put  in  motion,  with  what  success  we  shall 
hereafter  relate.  Xo  demonstration  was  attempted  against  the 
city,  until  the  morning  of  the  1st  of  February,  when  the  ram 
Queen  of  the  West  ran  past  the  batteries  in  open  day]  q    I 


CHAPTER  VI. 

RUNNING  OF  THE  BATTERIES  BY  THE  RAM  QUEEN  OF  THE 

WEST. 

At  about  half  past  four  o'clock  on 
February,  a  black  smoke  was  observed  moving  slowly  down  the 
river,  and  shortly  after,  one  of  the  enemy's  cotton-clad  rams, 
which  was  afterwards  discovered  to  be  the  Queen  of  the  West, 
was  seen  turning  the  point  above  the  city.  Not  a  shot  having 
been  fired  at  her,  she  slowly  continued  her  course,  and  had 
almost  got  out  of  range  of  the  water  batteries  above  the  city, 
known  as  the  "  Mint  Spring  battery,"  before  a  gun  was  tired. 
Just  as  she  was  on  the  point  of  going  round  the  bend,  the 
guard  gave  the  alarm,  and  the  water  battery  opened  on  her. 
Only  a  lew  rounds  were  fired,  when  she  steamed  across  the  river, 
and  hugged  the  Mississippi  shore,  thus  getting  out  of  range  of 
the  water  battery.  From  the  great  height  of  the  hill  batteries, 
the  guns  could  not  be  depressed  sufficiently  to  bear  upon  the 
ram,  until  she  had  gone  some  distance.  At  that  time  no  guns 
had  been  mounted  in  front  of  the  city,  so  that  she  continued 
her  course  without  receiving  any  material  damage,  until  she  had 
arrived  opposite  where  the  hull  of  the  steamer  "  Vicksburg" 
lay,  when,  reversing  her  engines,  she  made  a  dash  at  the  boat 
with  the  intention  of  sinking  it,  her  officers  being  under  tl 
pression  that  we  were  building  a  gunboat.  The  current  of -the 
river  caused  her  to  sheer  off  without  doing  any  damage  to  the 
boat.     She  immediately  tacked  about,  and  was  about  to  repeat 


]G  THE    SIEGE    OF    VIOKSLURc. 

the  blow,  when  a  shot  from  one  of  our  batteries  near  the  rail- 
road depot  struck  her  on  the  prow,  evidently  causing  some  dam- 
age, as  she  relinquished  her  purpose,  and  continued  her  way 
down  the  river. 

The  batteries  by  this  time  were  in  full  play,  and  belched  out 
a  constant  and  rapid  stream  of  shot  and  shell,  but  without  any 
effect,  as  the  most  of  the  balls  fell  short  of  the  boat.  The  Queen 
of  the  West  steamed  slowly  down  the  river,  and  in  a  icw  min- 
utes had  safely  passed  out  of  range  of  our  lower  batteries-, 
That  she  had  sustained  some  injury  was  evident,  as  she  remained 
several  days  moored  up  to  the  Louisiana  shore,  receiving  re- 
pairs. Reports  from  the  United  States  say  that  she  was  struct 
eleven  time-.. 

The  neglect  of  duty  in  permitting  the  Queen  of  the  West  to 
^urn  the  point  above  the  city  before  a  shot  w7as  fired  at  her,  and 
the  dillaiory  manner  in  which  all  the  batteries  acted,  raised  a 
cry  of  indignation  among  the  citizens  of  Vicksburg,  who  wTere 
well  aware  01l  the  cause.  The  statement  that  we  now  give,  was 
witnessed  by  the  author,  who  can  vouch  for  its  truth.  As  soon 
as  the  first  gun  was  fired  from  our  batteries  on  the  ram,  a  party 
of  men,  wearing  the  uniform  of  officers,  wTerc  seen  issuing  from 
a  building  on  Washington  street,  known  as  the  "  Apollo  Hall." 
This  building  is  a  theater,  the  rooms  of  which  are  constantly 
open.  The  men  referred  to  were  officers  in  command  of  our 
batteries,  idIio  had  been  in  this  ouildiruj  all  night  on,  a  drunken 
spree. 

The  same  day  that  the  Queen  of  Lhe  'West  passed  our  batte- 
ten   deserters   from   the   3 1st •  Wisconsin   regiment,  cams 
js  the  river  and  reported  Grant's  army  as  numbering  from 
50,000  to  60,000  men.     They  also  stated  that  great  dissatisfac- 
tion existed  among  the  troops  on  the  peninsula,  the  majority  oi 
them  being  desirous  of  return  in  gto  Memphis.  These  gt; 
cters,  did  not  gain  much  ere 


CHAPTER   VII. 
PASSAGE  OF  THE  INDIANOLA  AND  BEE  CAPTURE. 

3W  nights  after  the  running  of  our  batteries  by  the  Queen 
of  the  West,  a  black  object  was  descried  moving  down  the 
river.  The  night  was  extremely  dark,  so  dark  in  fact  that  the 
peninsula  opposite  our  batteries  could  scarcely  be  distinguished. 
Our  guns,  however,  opened  fire  on  the  object,  but  without  being 
able  to  take  aim  with  any  accuracy.  After  firing  a  flew  rounds 
our  cans  ceased,  there  being  an  opinion. anions;  the  officers  thai 


THE    SIEGE    OF    VICESBUBG.  17 

the  object  seen  was  nothing  but  a  tree  floating  down  the  river. 
"Two  or  three  clays  after  it  was  discovered  to  be  the  iron-clad 
gunbcat  Indianola  that  had  passed  down. 

The  Queen  of  the  West  had,  by  this  time,  been  captured  by 
our  batteries  ou  Red  River.  She  was  soon  repaired,  and  start- 
ing up  to  Vieksburg  with  the  ram  Webb  snd  gunboat  Beattyy 
effected  the  destruction  of  the  Indianola.  The^battle  that  took 
place  between  her  and  the  Confederate  boats  was  a  short  but 
spirited  one.  The  immense  superiority  in  strength,  and  the 
size  of  her  guns,  gave  the  Indianola  ■a  physical  advantage  over 
her  opponents,  which  were  wooden  boats. 

The  Indianola  had  been  chased  up  the  river,  to  a  6hort 
distance  above  Grand  Gulf,  when  she  stopped  and  offered  bat- 
tle. The  challenge  was  quickly  accepted.  Our  little  fleet  ad- 
vanced in  the  following  manner :  The  Queen  of  the  West  first, 
the  Webb  second,  and  the  Beatty  bringing  up  the  rear.  The 
Queen  of  the  West  ran  rapidly  pass  the  Indianola,  pouring  a 
broadside  into  her,  but  without  effect.  The  Webb,  reversing 
her  engines,  made  a  dart  upon  the  Indianola,  striking  her  fuU 
on  the  stern,  below  water  mark.  The  Indianola  had  been  mak- 
ing a  gallant  resistance  all  the  time,  but  on  being  pierced  by 
the  ram  of  the  Webb,  commenced  sinking  rapidly.  She  then 
struck  her  colors  and  surrendered  to  the  Confederate  fleet.  Her 
officers  and  crew  were  transported  to  the  Beatty,  and  soon  after 
sent  to  Vieksburg. 

All  the  damage  sustained  by  our  little  fleet,  was  the  twisting 
of  the  WaWs  ram,  in  her  endeavor  to  extricate  herself  from 
the  Indianola  after  striking  her.  All  effort  to  save  the  Indi- 
anola was  unavailing,  and  she  now  lies  sunk  in  twenty  feet  of 
water.  The  loss  in  killed  and  wounded  on  both  sides-,  during 
the  engagement,  was  small. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

CUTTING  THE  CANAL- YAZOO  PASS  EXPEDITION-SECOND 
SHELLING  OF  VICKSBURG. 

While  these  events  were  transpiring,  Grant  was  hard  at  work 
cutting  a  Canal  through  the  peninsula.  The  work  was  prose- 
cuted with  great  vigor,  day  and  night,  for  nearly  two  months, 
without  accomplishing  the  desired  object,  namely:  the  turning 
of  the  current  of  the  Mississippi  river.  It  was  stated,  by  de- 
serters, that  not  less  than  six  thousand  soldiers  and  negroes 
were  kept  constantly  at  work  widening  the  ditch  and  making  it 


18  THE    SIEGE    OF    VICKSBURG. 

deeper,  but  without  any  effect,  as  not  more  than  three  or  four 
feet  of  water  entered  the  Canal. 

Finding  this  project  a  failure,  the  Yazoo  pass  expedition  was 
undei^|ken,  but  that  also  resulted  in  a  failure,  the  enemy  being 
repulsed  at  "Fort  Pemberton"  by  the  Confederate  forces  under 
Major  General  Loring.  Although  this  movement  may  be  re- 
garded as  a  portion  of  the  operations  against  Vicksburg,  but 
few  notes  were  taken  by  us,  hence  the  meagre  account  we  give. 

Having  been  repulsed  in  their  Yazoo  pass  exhibition,  the  ene- 
my's boats  returned  in  the  early  part  of  March,  and  on  the  ninth 
day  of  that  month,  two  of  their  gunboats  steamed  down  to  the 
Louisiana  shore,  on  the  west  side  of  the  peninsula,  and  com- 
menced throwing  shells  in  the  city ;  nearly  all  of  them,  how- 
ever, fell  short,  and  those  that  did  fall  in  the  streets  did  no 
damage  to  the  soldiers  or  citizens. 

On  the  same  day,  two  dredge  boats  were  observed  for  the 
first  time  in  the  canal.  Our  canal  batteries  opened  fire  as  soon 
as  they  were  perceived,  and,  after  a  sharp  cannonading,  com- 
pelled the  enemy  to  remove  the  boats.  The  fire  from  our  bat- 
tery, bearing  upon  the  mouth  of  the  canal,  was  then  kept  up 
constantly,  with  great  effect,  the  enemy  being  prevented  .from 
working  the  boats. 

During  this  week,  large  bodies  of  Federal  troops  were  ob- 
served massing  on  the  Louisiana  shore,  opposite  Warrenton, 
and  the  idea  became  strong,  that  the  long  looked-for  offensive 
movement  was  at  last  in  progress. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

OCCUPATION  OF  GRAND  GULF. 

A  short  time  before  the  naval  engagement  at  Port  Hudson, 
which  resulted  in  the  passage  of  the  United  States  steamers, 
Hartford  and  Albafross,  the  town  of  Grand  Gulf  was  occupied 
by  the  Confederate  forces,  under  Brigadier  General  Bo  wen, 
and  a  battery  of  six  guns  mounted  on  the  banks  of  the  river. 
A  line  of  breastworks  had  also  been  made  around  the  position. 

Grand  Gulf  is  situated  on  the  East  bank  of  the  Mississippi 
river,  immediately  below  the  mouth  of  the  Big  Black  river. 
Southeast  of  Grand  Gulf  is  Port  Gibson,  and  befow  Grand 
Gulf,  Northwest  of  Port  Gibson,  on  the  banks  of  the  river,  is 
Bruinsburg. 

The  position  at  Grand  Gulf  was  defended  by  two  brigades  of 
Missouri  and  Arkansas  volunteers,  under  Brigadier  General 
Bowen,  of  Missouri.    This  officer,  a  native  of  Georgia,  but  for 


THE    SIEGE    OF    7ICK3BCTB  1  f> 

many  years  an  adopted  son  of  Missouri,  was  one  of  the  bravest 
officers  in  the  Confederate  array,  and  his  fighting  qualities  had 
won  for  him  a  favorable  name  throughout  the  Confederacy. 
This  gallant  man,  having  passed  unscathed  through  the  siege  of 
Vicksburg,  died  at  Clinton  on  his  way  trom  Vicksburg  to  Bran- 
don, Mississippi,  on  the  24th  of  July,  1863,  from  a  disease  con- 
tracted during  the  siege.  His  gallantry  and  ability  as  an  officer 
had  just  been  rewarded  by  a  Major  General's  commission. 

The  position  at  Grand  'Gulf  was  naturally  strong ;  and  but 
for  the  flank  movement  of  the  enemy,  and  the  want  of  reinforce- 
ments, could  have  been  held  for  an  indefinite  period. 


CHAPTER  X. 

ATTEMPTED    PASSAGE   OF   THE    RAMS.    LANCASTER    AND 

MONARCH. 

On  the  morning  of  the  25th  of  March,  two  of  the  enemy's 
rams,  afterwards  ascertained  to  be  the  Lancaster  and  Monarchy 
made  an  attempt  to  pass  our  batteries.  For  the  first  time, 
everything  was  prepared  for  them ;  and  as  soop  as  they  com- 
menced turning  the  bend  of  the  river  above  the  city,  our  bat- 
teries opened  a  terrific  rire.  At  the  same  moment,  two  build- 
ings on  the  crest  of  the  peninsula  were  set  on  fire  by  our  pickets, 
and,  the  light  spreading  a  ray  across  the  river,  gave  our  gunners 
full  view  of  the  two  boats.  With  increased  rapidity,  solid  shot 
was  hurled  at  them,  but  they  calmly  and  slowly  continued  then- 
way,  as  if  certain  they  could  not  be  destroyed.  Our  men  at  the 
batteries  worked  with  the  determination  that  they  should  not 
run  the  gauntlet  uninjured,  and  redoubled  their  energies.  It 
was  apparent  to  the  spectators,  that  both  boats  had  been  struck ; 
but  as  they  still  steamed  on  their  way,  it  was  not  believed  that 
the  damage  done  was  of  any  consequence. 

This  engagement  was  a  grand  and  magnificent  spectacle. 
The  day  was  just  breaking,  and  the  mimic  thunder  from  our 
guns,  the  flash  of  light  as  they  were  fired,  the  piercing  scream 
of  the  missiles  as  they  sped  through  the  air,  blended  with  the. 
soft  light  of  the  breaking  day,  and  formed  one  of  tjie  greatest 
pyrotechnical  displays  ever  witnessed; 

The  boats  proceeded  slowly  down  the  river,  followed  by  a 
constant  stream  of  shot  and  shell  from  our  batteries,  but  still 
they  steamed  down  as  if  unhurt.  A  deep  feeling  of  humiliation 
pervaded  the  spectators  and  men  at  the  batteries,  and  curses 
loud  and  deep  were  spoken.  At  last,  just  as  one  of  them  came 
opposite  our  batteries  at  the  railroad  depot,  a  well  aimed  shot 


20  THE    SIEGE    OF    YICKSBUEG. 

from  a  ten-inch  gun  pierced  her,  and  she  ceased  moving.  In  a?. 
few  moments,  she  commenced  to  sink  amid  the  cheers  of  the 
gnnners  and  the  crowd  that  were  looking  on.  The  Zttnea 
for  that  was  the  name  of  the  ram,  continued  slowly  sinking  for 
about  fifteen  minutes,  when  she  careened,  and  soon  nothing  was 
seen  but  a  dark  speck  on  the  water  to  denote  what  had  become 
of  the  once  boastful  and  defiant  enemy.  As  soon  as  she  com- 
menced sinking,  her  officers  and  crew  took  to  her  boats  and  es- 
caped to  the  peninsula,  but  nothing  else  was  saved  from  her. 

The  remaining  ram,  the  Monarch,  having  been  struck  repeat- 
edly, soon  became  disabled,  but  not  enough  to  sink  her.  She 
slowly  floated  down  the  river,  under  a  heavy  fire  from  our  lower 
batteries,  and,  in  a  few  minutes,  had  passed  out  of  range.  As 
soon  as  she  had  escaped  the  fire  of  our  batteries,  the  Albatross, 
which  had  come  up  from  Port  Hudson  with  the  Hartford,  met 
and  towed  her  to  the  landing  on  the  Louisiana  shore,  opposite 
Warrenton.  The  damage  done  to  this  boat  was  of  so  severe  a 
nature,  that  new  machinery  had  to  be  transported  across  the 
peninsula  for  her ;  and  it  took  several  days  before  she  could  be 
repaired. 

The  damage  done  to  these  two  boats,  in  this  attempt  to  pass 
our  batteries,  fully  sustained  the  opinion  that  we  could  always 
inflict  great  injury  on  the  enemy  in  these  demonstrations,  if  the 
necessary  amount  of  vigilance  was  exercised  by  the  officers  com- 
manding our  batteries.  The  result  of  this  engagement,  in  snch 
o-laring  contrast  with  that  of  the  Queen  of  the  West,  became  a- 
subject  of  remark";  and  all  in  Yicksburg  anticipated  that  hence- 
forth the  officers  would  dispense  with  frivolities,  and  recollect 
they  were  engaged  in  war  with  the  enemy  then  before  them. 


CHAPTER  XI. 

FAILURE  OF  THE  CANAL-CHANGE  OF  PLANS. 

Strenuous  efforts  had,  meantime,  been  made  by  the  Federals 
to  succeed  in  their  canal,  but  the  "  Father  of  Waters"  remained 
obstinate,  and  would  not  consent  to  "  change  bis  base."  Find- 
ing all  efforts' fruitless,  the  work  was  abandoned;  and,  the  ene- 
my despairing  of  capturing  Vicksburg,  decided  upon  abandon- 
ing their  operations,  and  returning  to  Memphis.  Preparations 
were  made  for  their  deparaure,  and  all  their  tents  struck,  when 
Major  General  Thomas,  Adjutant  General  of  the  United  States, 
and  a  renegade  Southerner,  arrived  at  Big  Black.  He  immedi- 
ately countermanded  the  order  to  return,  and  formed  a  plan 
which  resulted  in  the  downfall  of  Vicksburg. 


THE    SIEGE    OF    VICKSBURG.  21 

This  .plan  was  to  ran  a  fleet  of  transports  pas3  the  batteries, 
^ancl  cross  troops  from  the  Louisiana  shore  below  Vicksburg  to 
Mississippi,  and  then  march  their  army  through  the  country  to 
the  rear  of  Vicksburg.  This  plan,  although  the  most  dangerous 
of  all  yet  conceived,  and  apparently  the  fruits  ot  despair,  was 
adopted,  and  a  move  on  Vicksburg  was  immediately  resolved 
upon.  On  the  night  of  the  22 d  of  April,  the  first  demonstra- 
tion was  made  in  accordance  with  the  newly-formed  plan  by  the 
running  pass  our  batteries  of  three  gunboats  and  seven  trans- 
ports, an  account  of  which  we  will  give  in  the  next  chapter. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

PASSAGE  OF  THE  ENEMY'S  FLEET,  AND  ATTACK  ON  GRAND 

GULF. 

This  successful  demonstration,  while  it  does  credit  to  the 
enemy,  reflects  the  deepest  dishonor  on  the  Confederate  arms. 
Repeated  warnings  had  tailed  to  impress  upon  the  minds  of  our 
officers  the  fact  that  that  time  was  not  one  intended  for  mirth 
and  revelry.  They  still  continued  to  pursue  the  course  which 
had  been  the  subject  of  censure;  and  on  the  night  the  enemy's 
fleet  passed  down,  a  large  number  of  officers  were  attending  a 
ball  given  in  the  city,  and  not  until  our  upper  batteries  opened 
lire,  were  they  aware  of  the  proximity  of  the  enemy's  fleet. 

The  passing  of  our  batteries  by  the  enemy,  took  place  on 
Wednesday  night,  the  2 2d  of  April,  at  about  half  past  twelve 
o'clock.  At  this  hour  the  Yankee  fleet,  consisting  of  three 
gunboats  and  seven  transports,  was  observed  moving  down  the 
river.  Our  pickets,  on  the  peniusula  opposite,  promptly  gave 
the  alarm,  and  at  the  same  time  set  fire  to  two  buildings  in  De 
Soto, — the  name  of  the  village  on  the  peninsula, — for  the  pur- 
pose of  illuminating  the  river.  From  some  cause  unknown,  the 
fire  burned  badly.  Instead  of  issuing  in  a  bright  blaze,  it  sent 
up  a  dense  smoke  which  enveloped  the  river,  and,  with  the 
Lion  of  one  beam  reflected  across  the  river,  completely 
Lred  the  boats.  Our  guns,  however,  opened  a  heavy  fire 
on  them,  but  without  doing  any  damage  of  consequence.  One 
boat  was  set  on  fire  and  burnt  in  front  of  the  city,  but  the 
others,  aided  by  the  darkness,  and  -the  unusually  random  firing 
of  our  men,  succeeded  in  passing  safely. 

The  fleet,  after  getting  out  of  range  of  our  guns,  which,  by 
this  time,  was  increased  to  the  number  of  twenty-eight,  moved 
to  the  Louisiana  shore,  opposite  Warrenton,  where  they  remain- 
ed for  three  or  four  days.     We  own  that  there  was  manyobsta- 


22  THE    ISIHGE    OF    VIC9£TBURS. 

cles  to  our  preventing  the  enemy  from  making  the  passage,  but 
giyo  it  as  our  opinion  that'eonsiderable  more  damage  could  have 
been  done  to  them  had  the  officers  been  at  their  post. 

We  omitted  to  mention  in  our  description  of  the  passage  of 
the  fleet,  that  all  the  transports  were  protected  by  bales  of  Cot- 
ton and  Hay  lashed  to  both  sides,  and  almost  obscuring  the 
boats.  This  was  another  drawback  to  our  dome:  any  damage, 
for  we  had  not  the  means  at  our  disposal  to  set  the  Cotton  and 
Hay  on  fire. 

As  soon  as  the  enemy's  fleet  had  passed,  the  Yankee  plan  of 
campaign  became  fully  developed,  and  all  anticipated  an  attack 
on  Grand  Gulf.  In  confirmation  of  this  belief,  on  the  28th  day 
of  April,  the  fleet,  having  previously  gone  down  the  river,  at- 
tacked our  batteries  at  that  place.  An  engagement  between  the 
gunboats  and  our  land  batteries  then  took  place,  and  after  last- 
ing for  six  and  a  half  hours,  the  enemy  retired,  foiled  in  his 
attempt  to  silence  them.  Our  loss  on  that  day  was  twelve  kill- 
ed and  wounded.  Among  the  former  was  Col.  Wade,  Chief  of 
Artillery  for  Bo  wen's  division,  and  a  gallant  officer. 

The  next  day  the  enemy's  fleet,  consisting  of  two  gunboats 
and  six  transports,  lashed  together,  ran  past  the  batteries  under 
a  terrific  fire,  but  which  did  them  but  little  damage,  our  guns 
not  being  large  enough.  They  then  proceeded  down  until  they 
eame  to  the  Louisiana  shore,  opposite  Bruinsburg,  Miss.  The 
enemy's  troops  had  previously  been  marched  through  Louisiana 
to  the  vicinity  of  St.  Joseph,  opposite  Bruinsburg.  They  were 
then  transported  across  the  river,  numbering,  as  was  estimated 
by  themselves,  between  fifty  thousand  and  sixty  thousand  men. 
To  oppose  this  force,  Brigadier  General  Bowen's  command  did 
not  exceed  three  thousand.  The  brigades  of  General  Baldwin 
from  Smith's  division,  and  Colonel,  now  Brig.  Gen.,  Reynolds 
from  Stephenson's,  were  placed  at  his  disposal  as  reinforcements, 
but  remained  in  Viek  sourer  until  called  for. 


•    C A AFTER   XIII. 

LANDING  OF  AE>IY  AND  BATTLE  OF  PORT  GIBSON. 

Bruinsburg,  Mississippi,  is  situated  on  the  banks  of  the  Mis- 
sissippi river,  about  twelve  miles  below  Grand  Gulf,  and  at  the 
mouth  of  BAYOU  PIERRE.  At  this  point  the  enemy  landed 
between  fifty  and  sixty  thousand  men  on  the  30th  of  April,  and 
prepared  for  an  advance  movement. 

As  soon  as  General  Bo  wen  received  information  of  their  land- 
ing, he  crossed  Bayou  Pierre  and  advanced  towards  Port  Gib- 


THE    SIEGE    OF    VICKSBUR6.  .  23 

son,  situated  "several  miles  southeast  of  Grand"  Gulf.  In  the 
vicinity  of  this  place,  General  Bowen  met  the  enemy  advancing 
in  fall  force,  and  immediately  prepared  for  "cattle,  having  previ- 
ously telegraphed  to  Vicksbarg  for  reinforcements. 

The  enemy,  confident  in  numbers,  advanced  with  spirit  and 
.tion,  hoping  to  crush  our  small  force  with  superior  num- 
bers. Their  assaults  were  gallantly  met  by  our  men,  and  each 
attack  repulsed.  The  battle  raged  with  great  fury,  until  about 
the  middle  of  the  day,  when  our  forces,  worn  out  by  their 
almost  superhuman  exertions,  were  about  to  fall  back.  The 
enemy  perceiving  their  exhaustion  pressed  them  heavily,  and 
would  have  eventually  broke  our  line  but  for  the  timely  arrival 
of  Baldwin's  brigade  from  Vicksburg.  These  gallant  men,  tired 
and  exhausted  as  they  were,  after  a  forced  march  of  over  twenty 
miles,  were  ordered  to  advance  to  the  support  of  Bowen.  They 
advanced  in  splendid  order,  and  with  loud  yells  double  quicked 
to  the  battle  held.  The  Missourians  and  Arkansians  observing 
them  made  renewed  exertion,  and  recovered  a  part  of  the  ground 
they  had  lost  during  the  day.  At  about  three  o'clock  the  battle 
was  raging  with  awful  fury.  Our  men,  as  if  inspired  with  de- 
moniac strength,  fought  with  a  desperation  unknown  before. — 
Large  bodies  of  the  enemy  could  be  seen  making  a  flank  move- 
ment, and  fresh  troops  were  thrown  on  our  line  of  battle  as  fast 
as  others  were  repulsed.  In  the  early  part  of  the  engagement, 
Wade's  battery  of  Virginia  Artillery  was  captured,  by  the  ene- 
my, but  in  the  evening  a  determined  charge,  made  by  Green's 
brigade  of  Missouri  and  Arkansas  troops,  recaptured  the  lost 
guns,  and  brought  them  safely  off.  The  battle  raged  with  great 
violence  until  nightfall,  when  darkness  put  an  end  to  the  con- 
test, neither  party  laying  claim  to  a  victory. 

The  loss  on  both  sides  was  very  heavy,  and  our  casualties 
were  greatly  disproportioned  to  the  number  of  men  engaged, 
our  total  loss  having  exceeded  one  thousand  out  of  about  six 
thousand  effective  men.  The  loss  of  the  enemy  was  estimated, 
by  those  present,  at  between  four  and  five  thousand  in  killed, 
wounded  and  captured. 

As  soon  as  the  fighting  ceased,  General  Bowen  sent  in  a  flag 
of  truce  to  General  Grant,  requesting  his  permission  to  bury 
that  portion  of  our  dead  that  lay  in  his  lines.  The  demand  was 
refused  by  Grant,  who  promised,  however,  that  our  dead  should 
be  buried,  and  our  wounded  well  cared  for. 

That  night,  no  reinforcements  arriving  as  was  expected,  the 
Confederate  army  fell  back  and  crossed  Bayou  Pierre,  burning 
the  bridges  after  them.  The  retreat  was  conducted  with  ordc* 
and  regularity,  every  effective  man  being  brought  off  safely, 
except  one  company  of  Mississippians,  leit  by  mistake.  They 
were  captured,  but  afterwards  made  their  escape  and  rejoined 
their  regiment.  Col.  Pettus,  of  the  20th  Alabama,  now  Brigadier 
General,  was  also  taken  prisoner,  but  made  his  escape  by  a  ruse. 


24  THE    SIEGE    OF    VICKSBURG. 

On  the  moving  after  the  Confederate  army  retreated  from 
Port  Gibson,  the  enemy  commenced  throwing  pontoons  across 
the  creek,  and  skirmishing  lasted  all  day.  Towards  evening, 
information  was  brought  to  General  Bowon  that  the  enemy  was 
landing  above  Grand  Gulf,  with  the  intention  of  cutting  him. oft' 
from  Vicksburg.  The  gallant  Major  General  Loring  had  arrived 
at  Bowen's  headquarters  by  this  time,  but  without  any  troops  ; 
the  order  to  reinforce  having  been  given  at  too  late  an  hour  for 
them  to  arrive  with  him.  A  council  of  war  was  immediately  held, 
and  it  was  unanimously  determined  to  evacuate  the  position,  as 
from  the  disparity  of  numbers,  and  the  want  of  rations  and 
ammunition,  it  could  not  be  held  for  twenty-four  hours. 

In  compliance  with  the  resolution  to  evacuate,  prompt  mea- 
sures were  taken.  Everything  was  destroyed  that  could  not  be 
removed — the  guns  spiked  and  the  magazines  blown  up.  Our 
army  then  rapidly  fell  back  to  the  Big  Black ;  and,  crossing  the 
river  at  Baldwin's  Ferry,  formed  a  junction  with  the  main  body 
of  our  armv  under  Lieutenant  General  Pemberton. 


CHx\PTER  XIV. 

MARCH  OF  THE  ENEMY  TO  JACKSON,  A2W  BATTLE  OF  BA- 
KER'S CREEK. 

The  position  of  the  enemy,  after  the  evacuation  of  Grand 
Gulf,  was  one  of  extreme  peril.  On  one  flank  was  Gen.  Joseph 
E.  Johnston  with  a  force,  whose  strength  was  unknown  to  Gen- 
eral Grant ;  and  on  the  other  was  Lieutenant  General  Pember- 
ton, with  an  army  between  30,000  to  35,000  strong.  To  have 
remained  at  Grand  Gulf  would  have  ruined  the  Federal  army; 
and  with  this  knowledge  Grant  determined  to  make  a  feint' 
movement  on  Pemberton,  and  by  that  means  detain  him  on  the 
West  bank  of  the  Big  Black,  while  he  marched  rapidly  on  Jack- 
son, Mississippi,  with  his  entire  force.  The  object  of  the  Fed- 
eral commander  was  to  make  sure  of  no  enemy  being  in  his  rear 
when  he  marched  on  Vicksburg. 

The  ruse  succeeded.  Whether  General  Pemberton  took  any 
means  of  knowing  what  force  the  enemy  had  confronting  him 
or  not,  we  cannot  tell ;  but  this  much  we  do  know  :  that  he  re- 
mained on  the  West  bank  of  the  Big  Black,  near  Bovina,  Mis- 
sissippi, with  the  main  body  of  hi?  urmy,  until  the  evening  of 
the  15th  of  May,  when  he  received  a  telegram  from  General  J. 
E.  Johnston,  ordering  him  to  advance  immediately  and  attack 
the  enemy  in  the  rear,  while  he  (Johnston)  would  attack  him  in 
front  with  what  forces  he  had. 


THE    SIEGE    OF    VICKSBURG.  25 

It  is  said  that  Lieutenant  General  Pemberton  was  opposed  to 
crossing  the  Big  Black,  preferring  to  await  the  advance  of  the 
enemy  but  that  he  was  overruled  by  the  majority  of  his  subor- 
dinate Generals.  This  statement  is  made  in  defence  of  his  cam- 
paign ;  but  we  cannot  see  in  what  way  it  serves  to  remove  the 
responsibility  from  his  shoulders.  The  great  error  was  in  not 
advancing,  on  the  12th,  when  the  rear  of  Grant's  armv  was 
exposed  to  us,  and  offered  every  inducement  for  an  attack, 
rheideaof  General  Pemberton  desiring  to  advance  after  the 
had  penetrated  into  the  country,  and  cut  him  off  from 
the  river  for  the  purpose  of  starving  him  out,  was  a  gigantic 
error,  as,  from  General  Grant's  official  report,  there  was  enough 
provision  found  m  the  country  through  which  he  marched  to 
have  supplied  his  army  for  three  months;  besides  which,  Vicks- 
btirg  would  have  been  left  in  a  very  exposed  position  by  such  a 
movement.  : 

A  majority  of  the  general  officers  having  decided,  on  the  re- 
ceipt ot  General  Johnston's  dispatch  to  advance  and  attack  the 
enomy^  preparations  were  made  to  move  forward,  and  on  the 
loth  ot  May,  the  Confederate  army  took  up  its  line  of  march 
roops  beiDg  positioned  as  follows: 
Major  Genera!  Stephenson's  division,  composed  of  the  bri- 
«ded  by  Brigadier  Generals  Lee,  Barton  and  Cum- 
:-s,  and  Colonel,  now  Brigadier  General  Reynolds,  in  front- 
oeral  Loring  s  division,  composed  of  the  brigades  commanded 
by  Brigadier  Generals  Tilghman,  Featherstone,  and  others,  in 
the  centre;  and  Bowen's  division,  composed  of  two  brigades 
under  Brigadier  General  Green  and  Colo  bran.     There 

was  also  one  brigade  commanded  by  T  General  Bald- 

i,  detached  from  Major  General  M.  L.  Smith's  divisi  n,  Waul's 
on   of   iexians  and   Wirt    Adam's  Cavalry   regiment,  the 
whole  making  an  effective  force  of  between  23,000  and  4  000 
bghtmg  men.  ~  ' 

The  Confederate  army  marched  that  day  to  Baker's  Creek 

no  one  being  aware  of  the  close  proximity" of  the  enemy,  who,' 

having  intercepted  the  dispatch  ordering  Pemberton  to  advance 

divided  his  forces    and,  marching  rapidly   with  one   body  on 

Jackson,  drove  Johnston  across  Pearl  river,  and  marched  the 

other  towards  Big  Black,- ibr  the  purpose  of  surprising  Pern: 

berton;     On  the  evening  of  the  loth  of  May,  the  Conlederate 

in  the  same  position  as  tlmy  occupied  the 

before;  and,   alter  marching  some  distance,    discerned   a 

k   me  oi   .the  enemy's  skirmish  ,  army  immediai 

•a0]i  ^i8*^8  Creek'  n:]d'  t]ie  enemy  following,  prepared 
to  give  bate.     The  troops  bivouacked  that  night  oh  the  battle- 
:.     All  the  pickets  thrown  out  that  night  by  our  forces,  con- 
ed of  a  few  cavalry  on  the  roads,  while  our  flank  and  rear 
were  left  entirely  unprotected.     The  next  morning  skirmishing 
commence.,,  and  the  artillery  of  Stephenson's  division  was  or- 


26  THE    SIEGE    OF   VICKSBURG. 

dered  to  advance  and  open  fire.  In  compliance  with  this  com- 
mand, the  different  batteries  advanced  and  nnlimbered  their 
pieces.  As  soon  as  the  gunners  had  taken  their  proper  places 
and  opened  lire,  a  terrific  volley  of  musketry  was  poured  in 
upon  them  by  a  large  body  of  the  enemy  concealed  in  the  woods 
not  fifty  yards  distant,  which  killed  and  wounded  a  large  num- 
ber of  the  gunners  and  horses.  The  fighting  then  became  se- 
vere, and  resulted  in  the  repulse  of  our  infantry,  who,  having 
but  little  or  no  artillery  support,  were  compelled  to  meet  the 
attacks  of  the  enemy  unsupported.  In  a  few  hjurs,  nearly  the 
whole  of  Stephenson's  artillery  was  captured,  and  the  enemy, 
advancing  on  his  flank,  soon  broke  the  different  brigades.  The 
men  of  this  division  fought  with  great  courage  and  determina- 
tion, but  were  compelled  to  fall  ba*ek  before  overwhelming 
numbers. 

Sometime  after  the  firing  commenced,  Major  General  Loring's 
division  moved  rapidly  forward,  and  was  advancing  to  attack 
the  enemy,  when  a  battery  of  light  artillery,  commanded  by 
one  Captain  Cowan,  of  Vicksburg,  was  subjected  to  the  same 
terrific  fire  from  the  enemy's  infantry,  killing  nearly  all  the 
horses,  and  placing  hors  de  combat  a  majority  of  the  gunners. 
The  guns  were  immediately  taken  by  hand  and  hauled  a  consid- 
erable distance,  but  were  finally  left  in  a  swamp,  from  which 
they  could  not  be  extricated. 

General  Loring,  perceiving  that  Stephenson^had  lost  all  his 
artillery,  and  that  his  infantry,  after  making  a  stubborn  resist- 
ance, was  compelled  to  retreat,  leaving  his  flank  exposed,  deter- 
mined to  cut  his  way  through  to  Jackson,  where  he  could  be  of 
greater  service  to  the  Confederacy  than  falling  back  to  Vicks- 
burg. Accordingly,  the  division  was  ordered  to  cross  the  creek 
to  the  right  of  where  the  enemy  was  posted  in  large  numbers. 
The  movement  was  made  with  celerity  and  dispatch,  but  not 
before  the  gallant  Brigadier  General  Floyd  Tilghmaii,  of  Fort 
Henry  renown,  had  met  his  death  wound  while  bravely  fighting. 
His  body  was  carried  to  Vicksburg,  where  it  was  interred  in  a 
garden. 

After  crossing  the  creek  and  moving  off  on  the  enemy's  right 
flank,  we  are  unaware  what  movement  was  made  by  General 
Loring  that  enabled  him  to  escape  with  safety,  but  from  the 
nature  of  the  country  and  the  large  force  of  the  enemy,  ^  e  must 
acknowledge  that  his  safe  escape,  with  his  entire  division,  was 
one  of  the  most  brilliant  feats  of  the  war,  and  displayed,  on  the 
part  of  Major  General  Loring,  military  skill  of  high  order. 

While  this  movement  was  being  made  by  Loring's  division, 
the  forces  under  Brigadier  General  Bo  wen  moved  quickly  for- 
ward on  the  right,  and  met  the  enemy  just  as  Stephenson's  divi- 
sion wTas  rapidly  falling  back.  General  Bowen  rapidly  threw 
his  brigades  in  front,  and  then  commenced  one  of  the  most  des- 
perate struggles  recorded  this  war.      The  entire  force  under 


THE    SIEGE    OF    VICXSBUUG.  27 

General  Bo  wen  did  not  exceed  live  thousand,  and  opposed  to 
him  was  a  force,  variously  estimated,  at  from  forty  to  sixty 
thousand  men.  Our  Hue  of  battle  was  rapidly  formed,  and  the 
attack  of  the  enemy  awaited.  Then  it  was  that  McPherson's 
entire  corps  advanced  on  this  small  body  of  troops,  and  endea- 
vored, by  force  of  numbers,  to  crush  them.  Each  charge  was 
met  with  almost  superhuman  courage,  and. repulsed.  The  Mis- 
souri troops  fought  like  demons,  with  the  hope  of  retrieving 
the  day  and  gaining  a  victory.  So  desperately  did  this  division 
■light,  that  had  there  been  anything  like  organization  among 
Stephenson's  division,  and  they  had  supported  Bowen,  the  bat- 
tle might  'have  been  won.  But  there  was  nothing  like  order 
among  the  majority  of  Stephenson's  division.  They  had,  after 
lighting  for  several  hours  with  the  most  determined  courage 
without  artillery,  and  against  overwhelming  odds,  been  over- 
powered," and  were  straggling  in  a  demoralized  condition  to- 
wards Big  Black.  In  justice  to  the  gallant  Major  General  Ste- 
phenson and  his  subordinate  Brigadier  Generals,  we  would  say, 
that  every  exertion  was  made  on  their  part  to  rally  the  men, 
but  wTith  little  success.  The  brunt  of  the  battle  then  fell  on 
Bowen's  division  and  the  few  men  of  Stephenson's  force,  who 
remained  intact. 

.  Several  desperate  charges  were  made  by  these  troops  on  the 
enemy,  but,  from  the  large  numbers  brought  against  them,  with- 
out success.  One  of  these  charges  was  made  by  Gen.  Green's 
origade  of  Missouri  and  Arkansas  troops,  not  numbering  over 
eleven  hundred  men.  These  heroes  advanced  with  the  utmost 
coolness  upon  the  enemy's  forces,  consisting  of  two  batteries  of 
artillery,  supported  by  an  entire  division.  They  charged  up  to 
within  thirty  yards  of  the  artillery,  when  the  Yankee  gunners, 
who  were  laying  aside  of  their  pieces,  drew  the  string  attached 
to  the  friction  primers,  discharging  their  guns,  and  poured  in  such 
a  severe  volley  of  canister,  as  to  compel  our  men  to  fall  back.  So 
gallantly  did  these  troop3  behave  themselves  that  Major  General 
McPherson,  in  conversation  after  the  fall  of  Vicksburg,  is  re- 
ported to  have  said,  in  reference  to  this  charge,  that  he  almost 
l<  thought  it  a  sin  to  fire  on  such  brave  men." 

Lieutenant  General'  Pemberton  is  reported  to  have  lost  all 
confidence  after  the  capture  of  our  artillery.  Pie  is  said  to  have 
crossed  the  bridge  over  Baker's  Creek,  exclaiming  to  those 
around  him,  "  I  call  upon  you,  gentlemen,  to  witness  that  I  am 
not  responsible  for  this  battle — I  am  but  obeying  the  orders  of 
General  Johnston."  The  battle  was,  in  fact,  fought  without 
any  one  commander.  It  was  left  to  the  Major  and  Brigadier 
Generals  to  do  their  best,  and  which  they  did ;  but,  from  want 
of  a  general  co-operation,  effected  nothing. 

About  dusk  the  Confederate  army  fell  back  towards  the  line 
of  works  erected  on  the  Big  Black  river.  *In  the  retreat  almost 
every  step  of  the  way  was  contested  by  the  gallant  Bowen  and 


28  THE    SIEGE    OF    VICKSBURG. 

his  brave  men;  every  endeavor  on  the  part  of  the  enemy  to 
flank  us,  being  repulsed  with  heavy  loss.  Our  forces  arrived  in 
safety  to  the  works,  which  they  immediately  occupied  with  what 
troops  remained  in  any  state  of  organization,  while  the  enemy, 
evidently  exhausted  at  the  determined  resistance  given  him  by 
our  troops  during  the  day,  made  no  demonstration  that  night. 
Our  total  loss  in  the  battle  did  not  exceed  six  thousand  in 
killed,  wounded  and  missing,  while  that  of  the  enemy  could  not 
have  been  less  than  ten  thousand.  This  great  disparity  in  casu- 
alties, arose  from  the  nature  of  the  ground  preventing  any  large 
line,  and  the  enemy  being  compelled  to  mass  his  troops  in  dense 
columns,  when  making  a  charge,  the  fire  from  our  infantry  into 
their  serried  ranks  was  very  destructive. 

Our  loss  in  artillery  was  large,  not  less  than  thirty  pieces  hav- 
ing been  captured.     Among  the  different  batteries  were  : 
Co.  A. — Withers'  1st  Mississippi  Artillerv, .  2  pieces. 
Cowan's  of    "         a  ",  "     \..6     " 

Co.  C—        "         "  "  "     ...G     u 

Botetourt  (Virginia)  Artillery, 0     ct 

Wofford's  of  Withers'  1st  Miss.  Artillery,.  A  " 
We  are  unable  to  name  the  other  batteries  captured  on  this 
day.  Nearly  the  whole  of  Stephenson's  was  captured.  One  o£ 
his  brigades  succeeded  in  bringing  off  its  artillery  safely,  and 
that  was  a  brigade  of  Tennesseeans,  commanded  by  Colonel, 
now  Brigadier  General,  Reynolds.  This  ga.lant  officer  acted 
with  great  skill  from  the  evacuation  of  Grand  Gulf  to  the  fall  of 
Vicksburg.  On  the  retreat  from  Grand  Gulf,  he  was  placed  in 
command  of  the  entire  baggage  train,  and  although  the  enemy 
twice  got  in  his  rear,  he  eluded  them  each  time,  and  succeeded 
in  bringing  the  wagons  across  Big  Black  without  the  loss  of  one. 
The  retreat  from,  and  yielding  up  of  the  field,  put  an  end  to 
the  battle.  It  cannot  be  denied  that  this  engagement  resulted 
in  a  most  disastrous  defeat  to  our  arms,  and  one  that  could  have 
resulted  differently  had  competent  generalship  been  displayed. 


CJIAPTJ 

BATti/E  OF  BIG  %hl 

On  Sunday  morning,  17th  May,  (the  day  after  the  battle  of 
Baker's  Creek)  the  enemy  advanced  in  force  against  the  works 
erected  on  the  Big  Black.  (These  works  were  erected  on  the 
East  side  of  the  river,  with  the  object,  it  is  said,  of  defending 
two  bridges,  and  of  protecting  Snyder's  Bluff.)  The  attack  on 
our  right  and  left  was  repulsed,  but  a  panic  breaking  out  in  a 


THE    SIEGE    OF    VICKSBUEG.  29 

brigade  on  the  centre,  the  men  deserted  their  works  and  left 
the  line  exposed.  As  soon  as  the  enemy  perceived  this  they 
commenced  pcnring  over  the  deserted  works,  thus  compelling 
our  right  and  left  to  fall  back,  which  they  did  rapidly.  Nearly 
all  the  artillery  saved  the  day  before  was  lost  here,  among 
which  avis  two  batteries  belonging  to  Bowen's  division,  which, 
for  want  of  horses,  could  not  be  jenioved  in  time.  Our  army 
then  retreated  towards  the  liver,  and,  after  crossing,  set  the 
bridge  on  fire.  This,  for  a  while,  impeded  the  pursuit  of  the 
enemy,  who  were  compelled  to  buildtpontoons  before  they  could 
s  the  river. 
Our  loss  in  this  engagement  was  about  1,000,  in  killed, 
wounded  and  missing.  A  large  number  of  small  arms  and 
knapsacks  were  thrown  away  by  our  men  in  their  precipitate 
retreat  from  the  breastworks.  The  retreat  across  the  Big  Black 
ended  the  engagement — an  engagement  that  can  scarcely  be 
dignified  with  the  name  of  battle. 


CHAPTER   XVI. 
RETREAT  FROM  BIG  BLACK  TO  YICKSBURG. 

Soon  after  crossing  Big  Black,  our  army  became  a  demoral- 
ized body  of  men  ;  no  order  or  discipline  was  observed  during 
the  march  ;  the  men  were  scattered  for  miles  along  the  road. — 
The  sight  of  such  a  large  body  of  men,  retreating  in  the  disor- 
der that  they  were,  was  enough  to  create  a  panic  in  the  strong- 
est mind.  A  feeling  of  despondency  could  be  observed  among 
the  troops,  and  curses,  loud  and  deep,  were  hurled  at  Lieutenant 
Genera]  Pemberton  for  his  mismanagement  of  the  army — many 
of  the  troops  declaring  their  willingness  to  desert  rather  than 
serve  under  him  again. 

At  about  ten  o'clock  on  Sunday  night,  the  main  l^bdy  of  the 
Confederate  forces  commenced  entering  Yicksburg,  and  then 
ensued  a  scene  that  almost  beggars  description.  Many  planters, 
living  near  the  city,  with  their  families,  abandoned  their  homes 
and  entered  our  lines  with  the  Confederate  forces.  We  were 
among  the  troops  when  they  entered,  and  never  in  our  life  be- 
held anything  to  equal  the  scene.  As  if  by  magic,  the  stillness 
of  the  Sabbath  night  was  broken  in  upon,  and  an  uproar,  in 
which  the  blasphemous  oath  of  the  soldier,  and  the  cry  of  the 
child,  mingled  and  formed  a  sight  which  the  pen  cannot  depict. 
It  was  a  scene,  which,  once  beheld,  cannot  be  forgotten.  There 
were  mauy  gentle  women  and  tender  children,  torn  from  their 
homes  by  the  advance  of  a  ruthless  foe,  and  compelled  to  fly  to 


THE    SIESE    OF    VICKSBURO,. 


our  lines  for  protection  ;  and  mixed  up  with  them,  in  one  vast 
crowd,  were  the  gallant  men  who  had  left  Vick3burg  three 
short  weeks  before,  in  all  the  pride  and  confidence  of  a  just 
cause,  and  returning  to  it  a  demoralized  mob  and  a  defeated 
army,  all  caused  through  one  man's  incompetency. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 
INVESTMENT  OF  VICKSBURG. 

On  the  arrival  of  our  army  within  the  fortifications  at  Vicks- 
burg,  prompt  measures  were  taken  to  gather  the  men  together 
and  re-organize  the  demoralized  body  of  men.  Our  officers 
worked  hard,  and,  by  two  o'clock  on  Monday  afternoon,  had 
succeeded  in  placing  the  troops  in  position  behind  the  breast- 
works. 

On  Sunday,  Snyder's  Bluff  and  Chickasaw  Bayou  were  evac- 
uated, and  the  troops  brought  to  Vicksburg.  The  works  on 
Snyder's  Bluff  consisted  of  about  sixteen  heavy  guns,  of  which 
number  six  were  brought  away,  our  forces  not  having  time  to 
remove  the  balance.  A  good  deal  of  stores,  heavy  artillery,  am- 
munition and  baggage,  were  left  at  the  above-named  points  for 
want  of  transportation. 

The  position  occupied  by  the  different  divisions,  were  as 
follows  :  Major  General  M.  L.  Smith's  division,  composed  of 
Brigadier  Generals  Shoup,  Baldwin,  Vaughn,  and  Buford's  brig- 
ades, on  the  left ;  Major  General  J.  II.  Forney's  division,  com- 
posed of  Brigadier  Generals  Moore's  and  Hebert's  brigades,  in 
the  centre;  Major  General  C.  L.  Stephenson's  division,  com- 
posed of  Brigadier  Generals  Barton's,  Cummings',  and  Lee's, 
and  Colonel,  now  Brigadier  General  Reynolds'  brigades,  on  the 
right;  and  Brigadier  General  Bowen's  division,  composed  of 
Brigadier  General  Green's  and  Colonel  Cochran's  brigades,  held 
in  reserve.  •  Waul's  legion  of  Texas  cavalry  was  dismounted, 
and  served  as  infantry  on  Stephenson's  line. 

When  our  forces  entered  the  city  on  Saturday  night,  our  line 
of  defences  was  not  yet  completed,  and  the  men,  tired  and  worn 
out  as  they  were,  after  the  privations,  marchings  and  counter- 
marchings  of  the  past  fortnight,  were  immediately  set  to  work 
on  the  fortifications.  On  Monday,  at  12  meridian,  they  were 
completed,  and  the  men  took  their  positions  to  await  the  ap- 
proach of  the  enemy. 

At  about  two  o'clock,  the  enemy's  skirmishers  appeared  in 
front  of  our  works  and  opened  fire,  but  without  doing  any  dam- 
age to  the  Confederate  forces.     By  dusk  they  had  planted  scv- 


THE    ME*K    OF    VIOKSBUR  ;  31 

oral  batteries  of  artillery  in  position,  about  lour  hundred  yards 
from  our  line,  but  abstained  from  using  them.  The  sharp  shoot- 
ing was,  however,  continued  until  dark,  when  it  ceased,  and 
quiet  reigned  over  the  city  and  fortifications. 

On  Tuesday  morning,  by  daylight,  the  enemy  opened  a  ter- 
rific fire  on  our  line  of  works,  which  was  quickly  responded  to 
by  our  guns  with  fine  effect ;  the  enemy  being  compelled  to  shift 
his  batteries  several  times.  The  enemy  then  endeavored  to 
throw  forward  a  body  of  sharpshooters,  but  a  severe  fire  from 
our  infantry  drove  them  back,  and  prevented  the  execution  of 
the  design.  Towards  noon  the  enemy  made  their  first  attack  on 
that  portion  of  our  line  held  by  Brigadier  Generals  Shoup  and 
Baldwin's  brigades.  They  threw  forward  a  large  column,  which, 
giving  a  loud  cheer,  charged  upon  the  works.  Our  men  with- 
held their  fire  until  the  Yankees  had  approached  to  within  fifty 
yards,  when  they  poured  in  a  terrific  and  destructive  volley  of 
musketry,  doing  considerable  execution  in  the  serried  ranks  of 
the  foe.  The  enemy  wavered  a  moment,  and  their  indecision 
giving  our  men  time  to  reload  ;  when  they  charged  again  they 
were  met  with  a  more,  galling  fire  than  the  first  one,  which 
caused  them  to  break  and  retire  precipitately  behind  the  cover 
of  the  friendly  hills.  The  loss  of  the  enemy  in  this  charge  must 
have  been  severe,  as  the  dead  in  fiont  of  our  line*  lay  in  large 
numbers.     Our  loss  was  very  slight. 

No  other  serious  attack  was  attempted  during  the  remainder 
of  the  day.  The  attack  narrated  above,  was  looked  upon  more 
as  an  endeavor  to  "feel"  the  strength  of  our  forces,  than  to 
gain  any  important  advantage.  Artillery  firing  and  sharpshoot- 
ing  continued  for  about  three  hours,  when  Lieutenant  Genera' 
Pemberton  rode  up  and  ordered  our  men  to  cease  firing,  as  he 
desired  no  artillery  duels.  In  obedience  to  this  order  the  rneR 
ceased  firing,  but  the  order  resulted  very  badly  for  us,  as  the 
next  morning  the  enemy,  emboldened  by  our  silence,  advanced 
their  artillery  one  hundred  yards  nearer  than  they  had  thorn  the 
day  previous. 

After  their  repulse  in  the  morning,  the  enemy  kept  up  a  con- 
stant fire  on  our  line  from  their  artillery  and  sharpshooters,  dis- 
mounting several  of  our  guns,  and  compelling  us  to  mask  the 
remainder  by  hauling  them  from  their  position  behind  the  works 
to  the  rear  of  the  hills.  The  enemy  evidently  observed  the 
effects  of  their  fire ;  for  as  soon  as  a  gun  was  removed  from  its 
position,  or  dismounted,  they  would  send  up  a  loud  cheer  of  joy, 
much  to  the  chagrin  of  our  forces.  In  one  instance,  however, 
the  laugh  was  turned  on  them  by  Brigadier  General  Louis  He- 
bert,  of  Louisiana,  who,  observing  the  enemy  taking  particular 
aim  at  a  fine  Parrott  gun  on  the  right  of  his  line,  gave  orders 
that  as  soon  as  a  shell  struck  the  parapet  near  the  gun,  and  ob- 
scured it  with  dust,  to  remove  the  piece  and  make  it  appear  as 
if  it  had  been  dismounted.     A  few  minutes  after  the  order  was 


32  THE    SIEGE    OF   VIClvSBURG. 

given,  a  thirty-pound  Parrott  shell,  from  the  enemy's  gun, 
struck  the  parapet,  completely  enveloping  the  gun  with  dust. 
The  piece  was  .promptly  removed,  and  as  soon  as  the  dust  had 
cleared  away,  the  enemy,  not  seeing  it  any  more,  set  up  a  loud 
cheering,  which  was  heartily  responded  to  by  our  men,  who  en- 
joyed the  ruse  highly. 

On  Wednesday  morning,  May  20th,  at  about  three  o'clock  in 
the  morning,  the?  enemy  opened  a  terrific  fire,  from  their  artil- 
lery, upon  our  line.  The  lire  was  absolutely  fearful.  Shell  after 
shell  came  in  such  rapid  succession,  that  the  air  seemed  alive 
with  them.  The  noise  made  by  their  shrieks,  the  loud  explo- 
sion when  they  bursted,  and  the  silvery  sound  they  made  when 
the  fragments  were  falling,  created  an  uproar  almost  deafening. 
This  severe  cannonading  lasted  until  nearly  live  o'clock,  when  it 
slackened  down  to  an  occasional  shot.  Firing  continued  slowly 
from  their  artillery  for  the  balance  of  the  day,  while  their  sharp- 
shooters increased  their  fire  perceptibly. 

Towards  the  middle  of  the  day,  the  enemy's  mortars,  which 
had  been  placed  in  position  opposite  Vicksburg,  opened  on  the 
city.  These  mortars  were  mounted  on  large  rafts,  constructed 
for. the  purpose,  and  lashed  to  the  west  bank  of  the  peninsula 
on  the  Louisiana  shore.  A  brisk  fire  was  kept  up  by  them  until 
about  four  o'clock  in  the  evening,  when  they  ceased  and  re- 
mained silent  until  next  morning. 

On  Thursday  morning  at  three  o'clock  the  enemy  opened  the 
same  heavy  fire  as  they  had  done  the  day  previous,  and  kept  it 
up  for  about  a  similar  length  of  time,  when  it  decreased,  but 
not  as  much  as  before.  During  the  day  they  continued  firing,, 
increasing  its  rapidity  to  some  extent,  while  their  sharpshoot- 
ers swept  our  breastworks  with  a  constant  stream  of  minie 
balls.  Several  additional  guns  were  also  brought  to  bear  upon 
us,  their  fire  beginning  to  have  some  effect  on  our  works. 

The  mortars  on  the  peninsula  opened  fire  in  the  morning  and 
kept  up  a  constant  and  rapid  fire  all  day,  but  providentially  in- 
juring no  one.  The  city  at  this  time  was  filled  with  women 
and  the  only  protection  afforded  them  from  the  shells,  was  a 
number  of  caves  built  in  the  sides  of  the  hills.  General  Pem- 
berton  had  made  several  requests  that  they  should  quit  the  city, 
but  without  effect,  as  they  declared  themselves  willing  to  risk 
the  horrors  of  a  siege  rather  than  leave  their  homes. 

Besides  the  residents  of  the  city,  there  were  many  women 
and  children,  the  families  of  planters,  living  near  Vicksburg, 
who  entered  the  city  with  our  army  on  their  retreat  from  Big 
Black.  To  their  credit,  be  it  said,  that  severe  as  was  the  hard- 
ships and  sufferings  they  experienced,  all  these  ills  were  endured 
uncomplainingly,  their  only  desire  being  the  successful  defence 
of  the  city. 

On  the  evening  of  the  21st,  the  enemy  ceased  firing  from 
their  artillery  on  our  breastworks,  but  kept  up  a  severe  fire 


THE    SIEGE    OF    Vl<  KSBUBG.  33 

from  their  sharpshooters  all  night ;  the  mortars  also  shelled  the 
city  all  night  from  the  peninsula  opposite. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

CONTINUATION  OF  THE  INVESTMENT— GENERAL  ATTACK 
ON  OUR  WORKS,  AND  REPULSE  OF  THE  ENEMY. 

On  Friday  morning,  the  2'2d  of  May,  at  about  three  o'clock, 
the  e^emy  opened  on  the  works,  their  tire  exceeding,  in  severity, 
that  of  any  previous  morning.  Every  available  gun  appeared 
to  have  been  brought  to  bear  on  our  works,  and  the  cannon- 
ading continued  with  unabated  fury  untiT  eleven  o'clock,  when 
it  suddenly  ceased.  This  bombardment  was  the  most  terrible 
endured  during  the  sieg*y  and,  we  believe,  the  most  terrific  ever 
known  in  civilized  warfare.  Nothing  conld  be  heard  but  one 
continual  shrieking  of  the  shells,  as  they  came  cutting  through 
the  air,  and  the  sharp  fiz  of  the  Minie  balls  as  they  came  by 
hundreds  whizzing  past. 

Notwithstanding  the  severity  of  this  fire,  the  casualties  were 
small — a  fact  which  almost  seems  a  miracle,  as,  from  the  exposed 
condition  of  our  defences,  the  enemy  had  enfiladed  us  on  all 
sides,  and  had  gained  on  us  a  fire  in  reverse. 

At  eleven  o'clock,  as  soon  as  the  firing  had  ceased,  the  enemy 
were  discovered  forming  a  line  of  battle  with  heavy  columns  of 
infantry.  It  was  in  this  instance  that  the  bad  policy  of  order- 
ing our  men  to  cease  firing  on  the  enemy's  sharpshooters  was 
observed.  Had  we  kept  up  a  fire  on  them  during  the  days  pre- 
vious to  this  attack,  they  would  have  been  compelled  to  keep  at 
a  further  distance,  and  our  gunners  would  have  been  able  to 
open  a  severe  fire  upon  the  columns  then  forming  in  line  of 
battle,  and  prevented  the  charge;  but  as  it  was,  the  sharp- 
shooters, being  allowed  to  come  within  one  hundred  yards  of 
our  position,  kept  up  such  a  rapid  and  galling  fire  on  our  works, 
that  the  cannoneers  could  scarcely  raise  from  their  position  to 
load  their  pieces.  With  these  advantages  in  their  favor,  the 
enemy  formed  their  line  of  battle,  and  advanced  to  the  charge 
with  but  little  or  no  resistance  from  our  artillery. 

At  about  noon,  the  enemy  advanced  steadily,  and  in  good 
order,  pouring  in  a  volley,  which  did  but  little  or  no  damage, 
our  men  being  protected  by  the  rifle-pits  and  breastworks,  re- 
serving their  fire  until  the  enemy  had  approached  near  enough 
to  feel  its  effects.  As  soon  as  they  had  approached  to  a  distance 
of  about  fifty  yards  from  our  line  of  entrenchments,  our  men 
rose  from  their  reclining  positions  behind  the  works,  and  gave 
3 


31  THE    SIEGE    OF    V£OKSBUR«. 

them  such  a  terrible  volley  of  musketry,  that  they  were  com- 
pelled to  fall  back,  which  they  did,  however,  in  pretty  good 
order.  On  the  lines  occupied  by  the  brigades  of  Baldwin, 
Shoup,  Hebert,  Moore  and  Lee,  the  heaviest  and  most  deter- 
mined assaults  were  made. 

The  enemy,  after  being  twice  repulsed  on  Lee's  line,  were  re- 
inforced, and  made  a  third  charge.  Force  of  numbers  gained 
for  them  a  momentary  advantage,  and  several  of  their  men  en- 
tered our  works,  but  the  gallant  and  chivalrous  Lee  quickly 
rallied  his  men,  and,  after  a  severe  fight,  drove  them  back  with 
immense  loss.  All  of  those  who  entered  our  line  were  shot. 
The  enemy,  foiled  by  the  desperate  lighting  of  the  brave  Geor- 
gians and  Alabaniians,  made  no  further  demonstration  on  this 
line  of  a  like  nature.  Several  charges  were  attempted,  but  each 
was  repulsed,  with  great  gallantry,  by  our  men. 

The  charges  on  Moore's  brigade  were  heavy  and  determined, 
but  were  all  repulsed  with  great  slaughter  to  the  enemy.  So 
desperate  were  the  attacks,  and  so  heroically  were  they  made, 
that  one  of  the  enemy's  flags  was  actually  planted  on  the  edge 
of  the  line  of  breastworks,  occupied  by  the  second  Texas.  The 
eolor-bearer  who  planted  it  was  immediately  shot  dead  by  one 
of  the  men,  and  the  colors  captured.  The  Texans  acted  with 
their  usual  valor,  and  the  Alabamians  in  this  brigade  behaved 
admirably,  keeping  up  so  galling  a  fire  on  the  enemy  as  to  pre- 
vent their  approaching  near  the  line  occupied  by  them. 

The  fighting  on  Brigadier  General  Hebert's  line  was  pro- 
tracted and  desperate,  particularly  on  the  immediate  right  and 
left  of  the  Jackson  road,  occupied  by  the, third  and  consolidated 
twenty-first  and  twenty-third  Louisiana  regiments.  Their  posi- 
tion was  one  which  the  enemy  desired  to  obtain  above  all  others, 
as,  from  the  nature  of  the  defences,  had  they  carried  the  road, 
Yicksburg  would  have  been  lost.  Several  desperate  charges 
were  made  on  this  line  during  the  day,  and  had  been  success- 
fully resisted.  As  often  as  the  enemy  were  repulsed,  they  would 
return  to  the  charge  with  fresh  troops,  and  endeavor  to  carry 
the  works ;  but  the  gallant  men  comprising  the  above-named 
regiments,  held  their  ground  manfully,  and  repulsed  every  at- 
tack. 

The  last  charge  on  the  line  occupied  by  the  twenty-first  and 
twenty-third  Louisiana,  was  made  by  the  seventeenth  Wiscon- 
sin regiment,  composed  entirely  of  Irishmen,  and  bearing  the 
green  flag  of  Erin.  With  their  entire  front  rank  carrying 
scaling-ladders,  they  rushed  upon  the  works  and  endeavored  to 
scale  them,  the  fortifications  at  that  point  being  erected  on  a 
very  precipitous  hill.  Three  times  they  essayed  to  plant,  but 
a  sweeping  fire  from  our  infantry  compelled  them  to  face  back. 
At  the  last  charge,  they  approached  within  twenty  yards  of  out- 
works, but  such  a  terrible  volley  was  poured  into  their  ranks, 
that  they  broke  and  retreated  in  confusion,  leaving  their  dead 


THH    SIKOH    OF    VrCKSBURu.  35 

in  large  numbers  lying  in  front  of  our  line.  The  Mississippians 
ita  this  brigade  acted  very  handsomely,  repulsing  every  charge 
made  on  their  line. 

The  engagement  on  Shoup's  line  was  conducted  with  the 
same  bravery  and  success  as  on  the  others.  The  fighting  on 
Baldwin's  lino  was  also  severe,  and  was  attended  with  the  same 
success.  '  On  every  portion  of  the  line,  the  enemy  was  repulsed 
with  heavy  loss,  although  their  attacks  were  not  so  despearately 
made  on  every  portion  as  they  were  on  those  portions  specially 
mentioned.  Louisianians,  Georgians,  Alabamians,  Mississip- 
pians,  Texans  and  Tennesseeans,  behaved  with  the  same  valor 
and  success.  The  service  rendered  by  Bowen's  division  of  Mis- 
sourians  and  Arkansians,  was  signal  and  glorious.  With  their 
usual  valor,  they  reinforced  all  points  threatened  by  the  enemy, 
and  aided  greatly  in  repulsing  them. 

The  loss  of  the  enemy  in  this  day's  engagement,  could  not 
have  been  less  than  from  8,000  to  10,000  in  killed  and  wounded. 
Their  dead  lay  in  large  numbers  before  our  works,  while  thou- 
sands of  wounded  men  were  carric  d  off  as  soon  as  they  fell. 
Our  total  loss  did  not  exceed  eight  hundred. 

A  description  of  this  day's  fight  would  be  a  task  too  difficult 
to  undertake.  It  was  a  continual  booming  of  artillery,  and  a 
constant  rattle  of  musketry.  As  each  charge  was  repulsed  or 
made,  the  lines  would  resound  with  the  loud  yells  of  our  men 
at  their  success,  or  the  cheer  of  the  enemy  as  he  made  the 
charge. 

Nightfall  presented  a  sad  spectacle.  Small  as  our  loss  had 
been,  in  comparison  with  that  of  the  enemy,  and  the  severity  of 
the  conflict,  many  of  our  best  and  bravest  officers  and  soldiers 
bad  fallen — many  of  the  noblest  and  most  devoted  patriots  had 
yielded  their  life  on  the  altar  of  their  country,  and  had  fought 
their  last  battle  in  defence  of  their  cause. 

While  the  battlo  was  raging  at  the  breastworks,  an  attack 
was  made  on  our  water  batteries  by  the  gunboats,  and,  after  a 
•short  contest,  they  were  repulsed,  and  did  not  renew  the  en- 
gagement again  that  day.  The  mortars  also  kept  up  a  rapid 
fire  on  the  city,  but  without  any  other  effect  than  partially  de- 
stroying two  or  three  buildings. 

During  this  tremendous  bombardment  throughout  the  day, 
stores  in  the  city  were  Opened  as  usual,  and  the  streets  prom- 
enaded by  women  and  children,  as  if  no  missiles  of  death  were 
filling  the  air  and  bursting  and  scattering  the  fragments  aroimd. 
It  was  a  miracle  that  so  few  were  injured  in  the  city  that  day. 
Nothing  but  the  arm  of  Providence  could  have  shielded  the  in- 
habitants from  death. 


36  THE    SIEGE    OF    V 1 CK  SBT  R«> . 


CHAPTER   XIX. 


CONTINUATION   OF  THE  INVESTMENT.    BURIAL  OP  THE 
ENEMY'S  DEAD. 

The  day  following  the  general  assaul,  and  repulse  of  the  ene- 
my was  ushered  in  with  comparative  silence  by  the  enemy. 
Only  an  occasional  shot  was  fired,  and  their  sharpshooters  re- 
laxed their  tire  considerably.  This  gave  great  relief"  to  our  men, 
who  were  very  much  exhausted  by  the  severe  engagement  of 
the  day  previous,  and  enabled  them  to  move  about  behind  the 
works,  without  running  as  much  risk  from  the  enemy's  shells 
and  bullets  as  before. 

The  enemy  were  evidently  very  much  disheartened  at  the 
terrible  repulse  they  had  met  with  the  day  previous,  and  evinced 
no  disposition  to  renew  the  attack ;  in  anticipation  of  wbich,  ail 
the  necessary  preparations  had  been  made.  So  humiliated  was 
Grant  at  the  successful  defense  mad,e  by  our  forces,  deeming 
them,  as  he  did,  demoralized  and  broken  in  spirit,  that  he  made 
no  request  to  bury  his  dead.  Many  who  were  dangerously 
wounded  remained  in  front  of  our  works,  groaning  from  pain 
and  calling  for  help,  without  any  one  being  able  to  come  to  their 
assistance.  Our  men  would  have  assisted  them,  but  the  fire  of 
the  enemy  prevented  their  showing  themselves  above  the  para- 
pet. They  were  thus  left  to  die  through  the  inhumanity  of  their 
commander;  but  this  brutal  and  unchristian  spirit  having  been 
manifested  so  often  by  our  foe,  no  one  felt  surprised  at  it. 

Sunday  morning  at  daylight  the  enemy  opened  lire  on  us  from 
his  Parrott  and  other  guns,  keeping  it  up  all  day  without  inter- 
mission, and  continuing  the  fire  all  night.  From  the  defective 
nature  of  our  defences  the  casualties  on  our  side  began  to  grow 
larger,  although  strenuous  exertions  were  made  during  the 
nights,  by  the  Major  and  Brigdier  Generals,  to  repair  the  works 
injured  by  the  fire  of  the  enemy,  and  to  strengthen  them  suffi- 
ciently to  meet  any  future  connonading.  The  line  occupied  by 
Brigadier  Generals  Hebert,  Moore,  Shoup  and  Baldwin's  brig- 
ades was  the  particular  object  at  which  the  enemy  directed  their 
fire;  a  majority  of  their  guns  being  concentrated  at  this  point. 

The  mortars  on  the  peninsula  opened  a  steady  fire  on  the  city 
until  the  afternoon,  when  they  increased  it,  and  poured  in  thir- 
teen-inch  shells  with  great  rapidity  until  the  following  morning. 
The  number  of  mortars  by  this  time  had  been  increased  to  five, 
and  a  party  sent  over  the  river  at  night,  for  the  purpose  of  ma- 
king observations,  reported  the  enemy  busily  engaged  construct- 
ing works  for  large  siege  guns. 

On  Monday  morning,  the  25th  of  May,  the  enemy  opened  the 
same  heavy  fire  from  their  artillery  and  sharpshooters,  until 
eleven  o'clock,  when  they  ceased.     The  reason  for  a  cessation 


THIl    BIEGE    OP    VTCKSBtTH  37 

of  hostilities,  was  a  flag  of  truce,  which  had  been  sent  in  by 
Lieutenant  General  Pemberton,  offering  an  armistice  until  eigh\ 
o'clock  that  evening,  for  the  purpose  of  giving  Grant  an  oppor- 
tunity to  bury  his  dead. 

From  the  first  engagement  on  Tuesday  to  this  day,  the  ene- 
my's dead,  to  the  estimated  number  of  three  thousand,  had  re- 
mained on  the  field  in  front  of  our  works,  while  many  of  their 
wounded,  left  by  them  in  their  precipitate  retreat  from  the  last 
Charge  on  Friday,  had  died  from  want  of  proper  attendance. 
One  of  their  wounded,  (a  captain)  after  remaining  on  the  ground 
ih  front  of  Shoup's  lino  for  nearly  two  days,  was  removed  in  the 
jjdght  by  several  noble-hearted  men  of  our  forces,  who  crossed 
over  the  rifle  pits  with  a  litter,  at  the  imminent  peril  of  their 
lives,  and  bore  him  safely  within  our  works.  On  examination, 
it  was  found  that  his  thigh  was  shattered  by  a  ball,  and  morti- 
fication had  ensued.  Before  ho  died  he  delivered  some  money 
And  papers  into  the  hands  of  the  surgeons  who  attended  him, 
with  his  name  and  address,  and  requested  that  after  the  siege 
was  over  they  should  be  forwarded  to  his  wile — a  request  that 
was  honorably  complied  with.  After  lingering  a  short  time  he 
died. 

The  object  6f  General  Pemberton  in  making  the  offer  to 
#rant  to  bury  his  dead  was,  to  save  our  men  from  sickness. 
The  dead  bodies,  beneath  the  influence  of  a  burning  sun,  had 
become  decomposed,  and  filled  the  air  with  an  awful  stench. 
From  their  proximity  to  our  works,  the  men  were  considerably 
affected  by  the  unwholesome  air  they  were  compelled  to  breathe, 
anfl  great  fears  were  entertained  that  it  would  result  in  an  epi- 
demic, unless  some  measures  were  taken  to  have  the  dead  bu- 
ried. Although  our  requesting  Grant  to  bury  his  dead,  was,  iu 
a  measure,  yielding  somewhat  to  the  enemy,  the  circumstances 
under  which  the  deviation  from  dignity  occurred,  made  the  re- 
quest perfeotly  right. 

The  offer  for  a  cessation  of  hostilities  for  eight  hours  having 
been  accepted,  the  dead  were  removed  by  %  party  detailed  from 
our  army,  and  carried  to  the  enemy's  picket  lines,  where  they 
were  buried.  While  the  dead  were  being  removed,  many  of 
crar  officers  left  our  line,  and  going  to  the  neutral  ground,  be- 
tween the  two  armies,  engaged  the  Federal  officers  in  conversa- 
tion. While  out  there,  newspapers,  and  other  small  articles, 
were  exchanged  by  our  men  tor  tobacco.  The  author  of  this 
work,  in  company  with  Dr.  E.  MeD.  Coffey,  Chief  Surgeon  of 
Bo  wen's  division,  went  out  with  the  other  officers,  and  held  :) 
conversation  with  a  party  of  Federal  officers,  of  about  a  half 
hour's  duration.  They  expressed  themselves  very  much  dissat- 
isfied at  the  result  of  "Friday's  engagement,  and  observed  that, 
from  our  repeated  defeats,  they  had  not  anticipated  any  attempt 
on  our  part  to  hold  the  city.  They,  however,  appeared  confi- 
dent in  their  ability  to  starve  us  out,  and  said,  on  our  observing 


38  THE    SIEGE    OF    VK  KSBIKG. 

that  there  was  no  chance  of  such  a  thing  occurring :  "  Oh,  we 
know  that  you  cannot  hold  out  longer  than  two  months  at  fur- 
thest." On  our  remarking  that  we  could  hold  out  until  John- 
ston advanced  to  our  relief,  they  observed  that  we  were  depend- 
ing on  a  broken  reed,  as  they  were  well  aware  of  the  strength 
of  our  forces  under  Johnston,  and  they  knew  he  had  not  men 
enough  to.  attack  them  with;  besides,  said  they,  "  we  are  looking 
for  reinforcements  dmly,  and  they  will  arrive  long  before  John- 
ston can  organize  an  army,  even  if  he  intends  doing  so.  Our 
reinforcements,  with  the  aid  of  the  Big  Black  river,  will  be 
ample  to  hold  him  in  check  until  you  are  starved  out." 

As  soon  as  the  time  agreed  upon  for  a  cessation  of  hostilities 
had  expired,  the  enemy  renewed  their  artillery  firing  and  sharp- 
shooting,  but  in  a  very  feeble  manner.  The  mortars  on  the 
peninsula  in  front  of  the  city  kept  up  a  heavy  tire,  throwing 
their  shells  to  the  rear  of  our  works,  and  by  that  way  cross  their 
fire  with  that  of  the  besieging  army  in  the  rear. 

The  usual  amount  of*  firing  continued  on  Tuesday,  with  little 
or  no  loss  to  the  garrison,  which  by  this  time  had  become  per- 
fectly indifferent  to  the  missiles  falling  continually  around  them. 
They  had  become  so  used  to  the  shells  bursting  areund  them, 
that  they  were  made  rather  a  subject  of  jest  than  of  fear.  The 
only  missiles  from  which  they  apprehended  danger,  were  the 
hundreds  of  Minie  balls  constantly  whizzing  past  them. 

About  this  period  the  first  courier  that  managed  to  elude  the 
Federal  army  entered  Vicksburg  with  dispatches  from  General 
Joseph  E.  Johnston  to  General  Pemberton.  On  the  receipt  of 
the  dispatch  a  circular  was  issued  by  the  Lieutenant  General 
commanding,  giving  a  synopsis  of  the  news,  which  was  to  the 
effect  that  "General  Johnston  was  at  Canton,  Mississippi,  with 
an  organizing  force;"  that  "lie  requested  the  Lieutenant  Gene- 
ral to  hold  out  as  long  as  he  could,  tfec."  It  was  also  stated  in 
the  circular  that  a  portion  of  General  Bragg's  army  was  ordered 
to  General  Johnston,  and  that  they  were  then  moving  towards 
Jackson,  Mississippi.  The  circular  also  gave  our  forces  the  first 
intelligence  they  had,*from  Southern  sources,  of  the  capture  of 
Winchester  by  Lieutenant  General  Ewell,  and  the  invasion  of 
Pennsylvania. 

As  might  be  supposed,  the  receipt  of  this  intelligence,  with 
the  hope  of  relief  that  it  held  out,  lent  new  vigor  to  the  garri- 
son, and  although  they  had  already  been  reduced  to  quarter  ra- 
tions, they  were  cheerful,  and  evinced  a  fresh  determination  to 
hold  the  works  until  the  siege  could  be  raised  by  Johnston. 

The  firing  from  the  peninsula  on  the  city  had  perceptibly 
increased ;  eight  mortars  and  siege  guns  were  now  playing  on 
Vicksburg ;  the  enemy  had  erected  strong  breastworks  in  front 
of  our  line  in  the  rear  of  the  city,  and  had  brought  a  large 
number  of  guns  to  bear  upon  us,  while  the  bombardment  and 
sharpshooting  continued  unceasingly. 


THE    SIEGE    OF    VIGKSBUCG.  39 


CHAPTER    XX. 


SINKING  OF  THE  IRON-CLAD  CINCINNATI— MINING  OPER- 
ATIONS OF  THE  ENEMY— HARDSHIPS  OF  THE  SIEGE. 

Wednesday  morning,  the  27th  of  May,  was  ushered  in  with 
the  same  unceasing  stream  of  shells  and  Minie  balls  pouring 
over  the  breastworks,  our  men  looking-  on  their  advent  as  a 
matter  of  course.  The  tiring  from  the  mortars  still  continued, 
with  little  or  no  intermission,  from  the  peninsula,  while  frag- 
ments of,  and  thirteen-inch  shells  could  be  seen  scattered  in 
every  part  of  the  town. 

At  about  ten  o'clock  on  this  morning,  several  of  the  enemy's 
gunboats  below  the  city  advanced  a  short  way  up  the  river,  and 
opened  a  rapid  tire  on  our  lower  batteries,  but  without  doing 
any  particular  damage.  While  this  bombardment  was  going 
on,  one  of  the  enemy's  boats,  the  iron-clad  ram  Cincinnati,, 
steamed  down  from  the  fleet,  behind  the  peninsula,  and  opened 
tire  on  our  water  battery  above  the  city.  As  soon  as  she  had 
got  in  range  of  our  guns  we  opened  fire.  She  replied  with 
remarkable  rapidity,  pouring  broadside  alter  broadside  of  grape 
and  canister  at  the"  battery."  The  men  at  the  guns  stood  up  to 
their  posts  gallautly,  tiring  shot  and  shell  at  the  Cincinnati  as 
fast  as  possible.  Their  guns,  however,  being  too  small,  had  lit- 
tle or  no  effect  upon  theTiron  sides  of  the  ram,  all  of  them  that 
struck  tier  glancing  off  like  an  india  rubber  ball. 

On  the  hill  belowT  the  water  battery  was  a  battery  containing 
one  eight-inch  Brooks  gun,  under  the  command,  we  think,  of 
Captain  Johnson,  of  the  1st  Tennessee  heavy  artillery  regiment. 
This  gun  was  one  of  the  finest  pieces  of  ordnance  in  Vioksburg, 
and  had  obtained  the  soubriquet  of  "  Whistling  Dick,"  from  the 
shrill  whistle  of  its  shells  as  they  sped  through  the  air.  Soon 
after  the  Cincinnati  had  steamed*  down  and  opened  fire  on  the 
water  battery,  "  Whistling  Dick"  was  brought  to  bear  upon 
her,  and  the  shrill  whistle  of  its  shells  was  soon  heard.  The 
engagement  had  lasted  several  minutes,  the  firing  on  both 
Sides  increasing  in  rapidity,  and  still  the  iron-clad  continued  to 
pour  volley  after  volley  into  the  water  battery,  upon  the  hold- 
ing of  which  depended  the  safety  of  the  extreme  left  of  pur 
line;  at  last  a  well-directed  shot  from  a  Whistling  Dick"  pierced 
her  armor,  and,  as  if  fortune  had  changed  in  favor  of  our  forces, 
several  other  shots  in  rapid  Succession  wTcnt  crashing  through 
her  iron  plating.  In  a  few  moments  she  was  disabled  and  in  a 
sinking  condition.  She  immediately  backed  up  the  river,  be- 
ing afraid  to  turn  and  expose  her  broadside  to  our  guns,  and 
ran  aground  on  the  Mississippi  shore,  in  full  range  of  our  guns, 
but  within  the  enemy's  picket  line.  Our  batteries  continued 
bring  on  her  until  she  tf  i  ssly  disabled,  when  they  ceased. 


40  THE    SIEGE    OF    YICKSBURG. 

As  soon  as  the  Cincinnati  was  run  aground,  her  officers  and 
crew  took  to  their  boats  and  escaped,  with  the  exception  of  a 
few,  who  fell  into  our  hands.  They  reported  that  the  attack 
by  the  Cincinnati  had  been  made  in  accordance  with  the  request 
of  Major  General  Sherman,  who  had  said  that  if  she  could 
silence  the  water  battery,  and  shell  our  men  from  their  works, 
there  would  be  no  difficulty  in  his  entering  the  city,  as  the 
battery  was  the  only  obstacle  in  his  path.  This  statement  was 
no  doubt  correct,  as  Sherman's  entire  corps  rested  on  their 
arms  during  the  engagement,  as  if  waiting  for  the  battery  to 
be  silenced,  for  them  to  storm  the  works.  No  attempt  was 
made,  however,  on  the  Hue,  in  consequence  of  the  sinking  of 
the  Cincinnati. 

After  the  destruction  of  this  boat,  the  enemy's  fleet  made  no 
demonstration  of  the  like  nature  during  the  remainder  of  the 
siege.  The  enemy  being  satisfied,  no  doubt,  of  the  inability  of 
iron-clad  boats  to  remain  in  one  position  and  engage,  land  bat- 
teries. This  engagement  proved  the  superiority  of  land  batte- 
ries over  war  vessels,  even  when  iron  clad.  Had  the  Cincinnati 
desired  it,  she  could  have  run  past  the  batteries,  without  being 
injured  in  the  least,  but  all  her  modern  improvements  failed  when 
she  stood  up  squarely  to  give  and  receive  a  broadside.  During 
the  engagement  between  the  iron-clad  and  our  batteries*  nothing 
transpired  on  the  line,  beyond  the  usual  amount  of  artiliery  fir- 
ing and  sharpsheoting. 

After  their  repulse  on  the  2 2d  of  May,  the  enemy,  finding 
that  our  position  could  not  be  taken  by  storm,  commenced  min- 
ing. The  reason  of  the  enemy's  coming  so  close  to  cur  works 
art  to  be  able  to  dig  under  them,  was  the  want  of  foresight  in 
Gen.  Pemberton's  order  prohibiting  the  expenditure  of  ammu- 
nition. Not  being  permitted  to  use  the  artillery,  or  to  return 
the  fire  of  the  sharpshooters,  our  men  were  compelled  to  safe  the 
enemy  approach  nearer  every  day,  until  they  had  worked  their 
way  to  within  thirty  yards  of  our  breastworks.  That  this'could 
have  been  prevented,  was  the  opinion  of  many  prominent  officers 
of  the-garrison,  who  favored  our  throwing  out  a  body  of  picked 
men  every  day  to  act  as  sharpshooters,  and  prevent  the  enemy 
from  making  his  approaches.  If  this  could  not  have  prevented 
them  entirely  from  approaching,  it  could  have,  at  least,  prevent- 
ed their  mining  our  works. 

The  enemy,  having  been  permitted  to  approach  as  near  >; 
above  described,  went  vigorously  to  work,  mining  our  line  of 
entrenchments  at  various  , places,  the  principal  point  being  on 
the  left  of  the  Jackson  road,  held  by  the  third  Louisiana,  of 
Hebert's  brigade.  The  means  at  our  disposal  for  annoying 
them  in  their  labor,  were  limited  to  throwing  a  few  hand  gren- 
ades at  their  working  parties,  but  these  had  little  or  no  effect, 
as  the  .fuses  attached  to  them  being  very  often  too  long,  the  en- 
emy would  pick  them  up  before  they  exploded,  and  throw  them 


THE    SIEGE    OF    TICKSBtTBG.  41 

back.  The  enemy,  at  first,  worked  only  in  the  night,  but  pushed 
on  their  operations  with  untiring  energy  and  determination. 
Had  the  sharpshooting  been  less  severe,  some  effort  would  have 
been  made  to  drive  them  out  with  musketry ;  but  the  Minie 
balls  swept  the  line  of  entrenchments  night  and  day,  making  it 
almost  certain  death  for  any  of  the  men  to  show  their  bodies 
above  the  parapet  of  our  works  ;  at  the  same  time,  the  greater 
portion  of  our  artillery  had  been  dismounted  or  disabled  by  the 
lire  of  the  enemy.  This  was  occasioned  from  the  open  con- 
dition of  Our  worlds,  the  positions  for  the  guns  being  all  exposed, 
while  the  guns  themselves  were  all  en  barbette,  which  rendered 
them  easily  dismounted  by  the  fire  of  the  enemy,  and  prevented 
our  gunners  from  working  them. 

These  circumstances,  discouraging  as  they  were,  did  not  cause 
the  least  fear  on  the  part  of  the  men  ;  and  although  they  were 
Well  aware  that  a*  soon  as  the  enemy  completed  their  mines,  the 
works  would  bo  blown  up,  their  patriotic  ardor  remained  un- 
abated;  the  garrison  was  filled  with  enthusiasm  for  their  cause, 
and  expressed  the  same  unflinching  determination — as  they  had 
done  before  the  works  were  mined — -to  maintain  their  position 
so  long  as  they  could  fire  a  gun.  In  fact,  the  spirit  of  oar  men 
seemed  to  rise  with  the  danger  ;  their  confidence  in  their  ability 
to  repulse  the  enemy,  should  ho  attack  again,  was  still  the  same  ; 
all  had  but  one  desitc :  the  successful  defense  of  the  city  they 
had  so  long  been  fighting  to  hold. 

It  was  about  this  period  that  the  hardships  and  privations  <>i 
a  siege  began  to  be  comprehended  and  oxperioncetl.  From  the 
sfHallness  of  the  garrison,  and  the  extent  of  our  line,  it  required 
every  available  man  to  occupy  the  works.  The  troops  were  thus 
compelled  to  remain  behind  the  breastworks  and  in  the  rifle- 
pits  for  weeks  without  removing  from  their  crouching  positions, 
and  subject  to  the  different  changes  of  weather.  Very  often 
a  storm  would  rise,  and  the  rain  come  pouring  down,  drenching 
them  to  the  skin,  and  they  would  be  unable  to  leave  the  works 
for  the  purpese  of  changing  their  clothing,  but  were  compelled 
to  remain  in  their  damp  and  unhealthy  garments,  until  the  sun 
shone  again  and  dried  them.  It  is,  therefore,  no  surprise  that 
the  list  of  sick  in  the  garrison  was  largo  and  daily  increasing. 
Their  food  had  to  be  cooked  by  details  of  men  from  each  com- 
pany, and  brought  to  them  at  the  breastworks,  and  they  re- 
Biaincd  for  weeks  together  without  either  washing  their  clothes 
or  bathing  themselves.  Under  this  accumulation  of  hardships, 
they  bore  themselves  manfully ;  and  although  it  was  apparent 
that  the  life  they  were  then  leading  would  soon  break  down 
their  constitutions,  and  weaken  them  beyond  the  powers  of  en- 
durance, not  a  murmur  was  heard,  or  a  voice  raised  expiv 
discontent. 

For  a  period  of  about  live  days  after  the  siege   commenced, 
the  garrison  was  pretty  comfortable  as  food  was  con- 


42  THE    SIEGE    OF    VICK6BURG. 

oerned,  as  they  were  allowed  full  rations.  At  the  expiration  of 
that  time,  however,  Major  General  C*  L.  Stephenson,  who  had 
been  appointed  Chief  of  Subsistence,  perceived  that  the  supply 
of  provisions  on  hand  at  that  time  would  not  last  many  days,  if 
the  soldiers  continued  to  receive  the  allowance  provided  for 
them  by  the  regulations.  The  rations  were  then  gradually  re- 
duced, until  it  reached  the  following  small  amount  of  food, 
daily  issued  to  each  man  as  rations  for  twenty-four  hours : 

Flour,  or  meal 4     ounces. 

Bacon \  . .  .4  " 

Rice H        " 

Peas,  (scarcely  eatable) 2~         u 

Sugar s  t; 

the  whole  making  a  total  of  fourteen  and  a  half  ounces  of  food 
per  day,  or  less  than  one-quarter  the  amount  of  rations  usually 
issued  to  the  men  as  full  allowance.  This  small  amount  nat- 
urally brought  the  men  to  the  verge  of  starvation,  and  was  en- 
tirely inadequate  to  supply  the  cravings  of  nature.  Though  the 
men  felt  that  such  was  the  case,  and  saw  that,  under  this  par- 
tial starvation,  their  strength  would  soon  fail,  all  cheerfully  sub- 
mitted to  the  inexorable  necessity  that  had  reduced  them  to  such 
;i  strait. 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

SORTIES  ON   THE  ENEMY'S   LINE-ERECTION   OF   "LOGAN 
FORT"  BY  THE  ENEMY. 

The  days  intervening  from  the  tweney-seventh  of  May  to  the 
first  of  June,  were  devoid  of  any  movement,  on  the  part  of  the 
enemy,  of  interest.  The  cannonading  and  sharpshooting  con- 
tinued at  times  severely ;  while  at  other  times  it  would  slacken 
considerably.  Several  sorties  were  made  by  details  from  the 
different  brigades  in  our  army,  which,  in  a  measure,  relieved  the 
monotonous  life  our  soldiers  were  leading.  One  of  these  sorties 
was  a  brilliant  affair.  It  was  made  by  Brigadier  General  Lee, 
and  resulted  in  the  capture  of  nearly  two  hundred  of  the  enemy 
belonging  to  an  Indiana  regiment.  The  attack  was  made  with 
great  skill  and  caution,  and  took  the  enemy  completely  by  sur- 
prise, as  they  never  imagined  we  would  Venture  on  any  such 
undertaking. 

Shut  up  as  the  garrison  was,  and  completely  surrounded  by 
the  enemy,  we  were  completely  ignorant  of  everything  trans- 
piring outside  of  the  city,  except  on  the  safe  arrival  of  a  courier 
in  our  lines.     Asthese  were  of  rare  occurrence,  we  remained  in 


THE    SIEGE    OF    VICKSErEG.  43 

profound  ignorance  of  the  true  state  of  affairs  outside  nearly  ail 
the  time.  As  will  be  found  in  all  places,  rumors  of  every  kind 
and  any  quantity  were  'circulated  among  the  garrison,  tending 
for  a  while  to  elate  them  with  the  hope  of  a  speedy  relief,  all  of 
them  however  turned  out  false,  much  to  the  chagrin  of  the  sol- 
diers whom  the  reports  had  deceived. 

In  the  night  the  pickets  of  both  armies  would  abstain  from 
tiring,  and  would  sit  down  and  engage  in  conversation,  each 
bragging  of  their  ability  to  whip  the  other.  Many  of  these  in- 
terviews were  very  amusing,  and  the  incidents  that  occurred 
were  the  source  of  much  laughter  to  our  men,  who  would  show 
their  wit  at  every  opportunity,  for  the  purpose  of  exasperating 
the  enemy.  At  one  time,  so  familiar  had  the  pickets  become, 
;  they  would  meet  one  another  on  the  neutral  ground  be- 
tween the  two  armies  and  discuss  the  merits  of  the  war.  The 
defense  on  both  sides  would  be  carried  on  with  considerable 
vehemence,  until  argument  failed  on  one  side  or  the  other,  when 
vhey  would  separate  to  avoid,  as  a  Yankee  told  one  of  our  men 
H'lio  had  argued  him  beyond  reply,  any  fighting  over  the  sub- 
ject !  As  soon  as  this  familiarity  was  discovered,  strict  orders 
were  given  to  prohibit  its  continuation,  and  in  a  measure  it  was 
stopped,  nevertheless  some  "good  joke"  occurring  between  them 
would  leak  out  now  and  then,  but  as  the  parties  with  whom  it 
took  place  could  never  be  discovered,  the  officers  were  obliged 
to  laugh  at  the  joke,  and  leave  the  disobedient  party  unpunish- 
ed. In  these  conversations  the  different  motives  which  occupied 
the  opposing  forces  and  impelled  them  to  light,  would  be  appar- 
ent and  form  a  striking  contrast,  The  conversation  of  tbje 
Yankee  would  be  principally  directed  to  the  fine  country  they 
had  gone  through,  and  its  capacity  for  making  money,  while 
*hat  of  the  Confederate  soldier  would  be  a  defense  of  his  coun- 
try, and  his  determination  never  to  go  back  into  their  accursed 
Union.  We  do  not  mention  this  from  prejudice  to  the  Yankee, 
or  from  what  was  reported  to  us  by  other  parties,  but  from  the 
strict  character  of  Grant's  army,  and  the  sordid  motives  actuat- 
ing them,  and  their  conversation  with  us  after  the  surrender. 

On  the  first  ot  June  the  enemy  kept  up  a  heavy  fire,  both  in 
front  and  rear,  from  his  mortarB,  Parrott's  and  other  guns,  and 
his  sharpshooters  poured  thousands  of  Minie  balls  into  our  line. 
The  enemy's  sharpshooters  were  all  splendid  marksmen,  and 
effectually  prevented  any  of  our  men  from  rising  above  the  par- 
apet on  pain  of  certain  death,  while  it  was  an  utter  impossibility 
for  our  cannoneers,  to  load  the  guns  remaining  in  position  on 
our  line,  without  being  exposed  to  the  aim  of  a  dense  line  of 
sharpshooters. 

Our  Hue  of  works,  as  planned  by  Major  General  M.  L.  Smith, 
was  as  good  as  could  be  desired,  but  the  execution  of  his  plans 
was  the  most  miserable  ever  performed  by  men  claimin  g  to  be 
engineers.      There  were  several  !a;:hs  in  the  const  of 


44  THE    BIE&B    OF    VICKSB'JKG. 

these  works,  the  principal  of  which  were  :  first,  they  were  not 
high  enough;  second,  they  -were  not  built  sufficiently  thick; 
and  third,  the  bastions  on  which  the  guns  rested  were  entirely 
too  much  exposed,  and  afforded  no  protection  to  the  gunners. 

There  was  a  hill  on  the  immediate  left  of  the  Jackson  road, 
which  ought  to  have  been  occupied  by  our  forces,  as  it  com- 
manded that  portion  of  our  works  afterwards  held  by  the  third 
Louisiana  regiment.  Brigadier  General  Louis  Hebert,  one  of 
our  ablest  and  most  gallant  officers,  desired  to  hold  this  hill  at 
the  commencement  of  the  siege,  and  before  the  enemy  had  in- 
vested us,  but  was  prevented  from  so  doing,  we  suppose,  by 
order  of  his  superior  officers.  This  hill  was  afterwards  occupied 
by  the  enemy,  and  a  fort,  known  as  "  Logan  Fort,"  erectea  on 
it.  This  position  appears  to  have  been  entirely  overlooked  by 
our  engineers,  or  its  importance  was  very  much  undervalued. 

So  badly  were  the  works  erected,  that  three  days  after  the 
siege  oommenced  the  enemy  had  enfiladed  us,  and  a  few  days 
after  that,  opened  a  fire  in  reverse.  We  were  thus  subject  to  a 
eontinuai  fire  from  all  quarters.  The  number  of  pieces  of  artil- 
lery brought  to  bear  upon  our  defenses,  could  not  have  been 
less  than  from  two  hundred  and  fifty  to  three  hundred  of  all 
descriptions  and  calibres.  This  large  number  of  guns,  keeping 
up  a  constant  fire  on  our  lines,  naturally  created  an  uproar 
almost  deafening,  and  as  a  result,  thousands  of  shells  were 
poured  into  our  works.  There  was  no  portion  of  the  space  of 
ground  in  our  lines  but  where  whole  shells  and  fragments  of 
shells  could  be  seen,  while  at  the  line,  and  about  one  hundred 
yards  from  it,  thousands  upon  thousands  of  Minio  balls  covered 
the  road  and  woods.  Enough  of  these  little  missiles  could  have 
been  picked  up  in  half  an  hour  to  have  supplied  our  army  for  a 
dav. 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

SPIES  IN  THE  CITY.     CONDITION  OF  THE  CITY.     FIGHT 
BETWEEN  THE  ENEMY  AND  A  TENNESSEE  REGIMENT. 

On  Tuesday,  the  second  of  June,  it  was  expected  that  the  en- 
emy would  make  a  second  general  assault  on  our  works,  from 
certain  suspicious  movements  of  theirs  the  night  previous.  In 
accordance  with  this,  preparations  were  immediately  made  to 
meet  the  threatened  attack,  and  to  give  the  enemy  a  warm  re- 
ception on  his  assault.  The  day  passed,  however,  without  their 
attempting  anything  more  than  the  customary  bombardment, 
except  on  the  peninsula,  where  the  enemy  appeared  to  slacken 
their  fire  somewhat,  not  caring  to  strain  their  mortars  too  much. 


THE    SIEGE    OF   VKKSBfRO.  45 

On  the  night  of  the  first  of  Jane,  several  buildings  in  the 
city,  on  Washington  street,  were  set  on  fire  by  incendiaries, 
and  burnt  down,  while  the  parties  who  set  them  on  fire  were 
never  discovered*  That  there  were  spies  and  emissaries  of  the 
enemy  in  the  city  is  beyond  a  doubt  true ;  as  we  were  informed 
by  a  gentleman  of  reliability,  that  two  or  three  days  before  the 
incendiarism  narrated  above  took  place,  a  man  clad  in  the  ene- 
my's uniform,  and  to  all  appearance  a  stranger  in  Vicksburg, 
was  observed  walking  about  the  city;  several  questions  he  pro- 
pound d  excited  the  suspicions  of  the  party  to  whom  he  ad- 
dressed them,  and  after  answering  them  in  an  evasive  manner, 
the  party  hastened  to  give  information  to  the  provost  guard 
r.Tig  the  singular  appearance  of  this  man,  and  the  suspi- 
cious questions  he  had  asked.  A  guard  was  immediately  started 
after  hi  in,  and  after  awhile  discovered  him  walking  up  one  of 
the  streets.  As  soon  as  he  observed  them  approaching  him  with 
the  party  ho  had  previously  questioned,  he  must  have  defined 
what  they  were  coming  for,  for  he  immediately  started  off  at  a 
run,  pursued  by  the  c^uard  for  some  distance,  until  he  arrived  at 
some  deserted  buildings,  which  he  entered.  When  the  guard 
arrived  they  went  into  the  building  after  him,  but  he  could  not 
be  discovered.  That  he  was  a  spy  is  evident,  and  we  feel  sure 
that  he  was  well  acquainted  with  the  buildings  he  entered,  other- 
wise he  would  have  been  captured. 

The  damage  done  to  the  city  up  to  this  date  was  small,  when 
we  consider  the  amount  of  shells  that  had  been  thrown  into  it. 
It  is  true  that  a  great  many  buildings  had  been  struck,  but  none 
demolished  ;  all  of  those  struck  were  still  tenable,  and  were 
occupied  by  the  different  families  during  the  brief  moments 
that  the  enemy's  mortars  were  silent.  After  the  first  excitement 
was  over,  the  citizens  became  quite  hopeful  of  the  result,  and 
from  the  exaggerated  reports  brought  by  couriers  of  the  strength 
of  Johnston's  army,  it  was  confidently  believed  that  the  day  of 
relief  would  soon  come,  and  that  the  siege  would  be  shortly 
raised.  Not  the  slightest  fear  was  expressed  of  the  city  ever 
falling  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy;  not  a  man,  woman  or  child 
believed  such  an  event  at  all  likely  to  occur,  but  all  anticipating 
the  defeat  and  destruction  of  Grant's  army  as  soon  as  Johnston 
arrived  with  the  fifty  thousand  men  he  was  reported  to  have 
under  his  command. 

The  same  course  of  shelling  and  sharpshooting  continued, 
without  anything  of  importance  being  attempted  by  the  enemy. 
They  had  now  decided  on  a  regular  investment  of  the  city,  and 
determined  upon  making  gradual  approaches  by  means  of  their 
engineers  and  sappers  and  miners,  until  they  could  come  up  close 
to  our  works,  when  they  would  make  another  endeavor  to  storm 
our  lines ;  if  unsuccessful,  they  would  then  keep  us  penned  up 
until  starvation  compelled  the  garrison  to  capitulate.  That 
such  was  their  idea  we  were  repeatedly  informed  by  their  ^ckets. 


46  THE    STEGE    OF    VlCKfiBtTROr. 

Until  the  twenty-fifth  of  June,  nothing  of  interest  transpired, 
except  at  one  or  two  points  along  our  lines,  and  an  occasional 
sortie  by  the  garrison  on  the  enemy's  works.  One  night,  a 
sharp  skirmish  took  place  beyond  our  picket  lines,  between  a 
body  of  the  enemy  and  a  regiment  of  Tennessceans  belonging 
to  Reynolds'  brigade.  The  regiment  had  gone  out  for  the  pur- 
pose of  cutting  wood  for  fuel  and  cane  tops  for  the  horses,  they 
being  compelled  to  subsist  wholly  on  that,  all  the  fodder  bcini- 
exhausted,  and  the  corn  ground  into  meal  for  the  soldiers.  As 
was  customary,  they  carried  their  arms  with  them,  so  as  to  be 
prepared  in  case  of  emergency.  "While  in  the  midst  of  their 
work,  the  Yankee  pickets  opened  fire  on  them.  As  this  act  of 
the  enemy  was  contrary  to  their  usual  habit,  it  so  exasperated 
the  men  that,  throwing  down  their  axes,  they  siezed  their  arms 
and  drove  in  the  pickets.  The  enemy,  alarmed  at  this  demon- 
stration, quickly  threw  forward  a  large  body  of  their  infantry, 
who  met  the  Tennessceans  just  as  they  were  driving  in  the  pick- 
ets. A  brisk  fight  ensued,  in  which  the  Tennesseeans  behaved 
very  gallantly,  and  succeeded  in  cutting  off  and  capturing  a 
large  number  of  the  enemy.  On  another  occasion  a  sortie  made 
by  our  forces  resulted  very  successfully,  our  men  capturing  Lt. 
Col.  Cann,  of  an  Illinois  regiment,  and  several  of  the  enemy, 
besides  spiking  one  of  their  guns. 

Instead  of  encouraging  these  expeditions,  Lieutenant  General 
Pemberton  appeared  disposed  to  stop  them.  An  expedition  was 
organized  one  night  for  the  purpose  of  storming  the  enemy's 
works  on  the  peninsula  opposite  Vicksburg,  and  throwing  the 
mortars  and  guns  into  the  river,  by  that  way  saving  the  city 
considerable  injury  from  the  enemy's  shells,  and  the  inhabitants 
from  annoyance.  A  letter  was  sent  in  to  Lieutenant  General 
Pemberton,  requesting  his  permission  for  the  party  to  cross  the 
river  on  the  first  dark  night,  and  make  the  attempt,  but  the 
General  refused  his  consent,  on  the  ground  that  it  was  too  dan- 
gerous an  experiment ;  besides  which,  he  was  certain  it  could 
not  be  successful.  Had  the  permission  been  granted,  we  are 
pretty  certain  it  would  have  resulted  favorably  to  us,  as  the 
party  who  would  have  attempted  it  were  picked  men,  of  daring 
and  courage,  and  men  upon  whom  reliance  could  have  been 
placed.  After  this  reply,  however,  the  idea  was  abandoned, 
and  was  not  again  thought  of 'during  the  remainder  of  the 


THE    SIEGE    OF    VICKSBt  4f 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 


fcteNDITION  OF  VICKSBURG.     CONDUCT  OF  THE  INHABI- 
TANTS.    SPIRIT  OF  THE  WOMEN. 

By  the  middle  of  June,  Vicksburg  was  in  a  deplorable  condi- 
tion* There  was  scarcely  a  building  but  what  had  been  struck 
by  the  enemy's  shells,  while  many  of  them  were  entirely  demol- 
ished. The  city  had  the  appearance  of  a  half-ruined  pile  of 
buildings,  and  on  every  street  unmistakable  signs  of  the  fearful 
bombardment  it  had  undergone,  presented  themselves  to  the 
observer. 

Many  families  of  wealth  had  eaten  the  last  mouthful  of  food 
in  their  possession,  and  the  poor  class  of  non-combatants  were 
on  the  verge  of  starvation.  The  situation  of  the  latter  was  in- 
deed terrible ;  for  while  the  former  class  of  population  were 
able  to  buy  what  little  food  remained  in  the  hands  of  the  heart- 
less speculators,  at  such  prices  as  they — money-grasping  and 
unpatriotic  creatures — would  demand,  the  poor  people  were 
without  money,  and  consequently  their  sufferings  were  terrible. 

It  is  true  there  was  not  much  provision  in  the  city ;  in  tact 
there  was  scarcely  any.  At  the  same  time,  the  prices  charged 
for  what  was  there,  were  such  as  to  make  a  man  wonder  wheth- 
er the  sellers  had  the  slightest  touch  of  pity  in  them.  Shut  up, 
as  they  were  in  our  lines,  with  a  knowledge  that  at  any  moment 
one,  of  the  hundreds  of  shells  falling  around  them,  might  end 
their  existence,  their  thirst  for  money  remained  unabated,  and 
the  holders  of  what  food  there  was,  actually  asked  and  received 
the  following  prices  :  Flour,  five  dollars  per  pound,  or  nearly  one 
thousand  dollars  per  barrel ;  meal,  one  hundred  and  forty  dollars 
per  bushel ;  molasses,  ten  and  twelve  dollars  per  gallon;  and 
beef,  (very  often  oxen  killed  by  the  enemy's  shells,  and  picked 
up  by  the  butchers,)  at  t'.vo  dollars  and  two  dollars  and  a  half 
per  pound.  As  we  are  unacquainted  with  the  names  of  these 
infamous  parties,  we  are  unable  to  publish  them  to  world,  to 
receive  the  scorn  their  conduct  merits. 

The  military  authorities  assisted  these  poor  unfortunat 
much  as  they  possibly  could,  and  Lieutenant  General  Pei 
ton  gave  them  the  privilege  to  grind  all  the  corn  they  could  get 
at  the  government  mills ;  but  this  assistance  went  but  a  small 
way  to  relieve  their  wants,  and  they  would  undoubtedly  have 
perished  but  for  the  benevolent  and  generous  conduct  of  the 
wealthier  classes  of  citizens,  who  set  to  work  for  the  pur- 
pose of  averting  the  horrors  which  threatened  them.  Among 
those  who  aided  with  their  time  and  means  in  this  highly  mer- 
itorious work,  we  take  great  pleasure  in  giving  the  names  of 

W.  H.   Stevens,   Rev. Rutherford,   of  the   Methodist 

Church;  Victor  F.  Wilson,  and  a  German  by  the  name  of  J, 


48  THE    SIEGE    OF    VtOKSBFRG. 

Kaiser.  This  last  named  gentleman  acted  nobly.  He  had  sev- 
eral hundred  bushels  of  corn  at  his  residence,  which  he  handed 
over  to  a  committee  appointed  for  the  purpose,  reserving  for 
himself  just  enough  to  last  his  family  during  the  siege.  We 
make  particular  mention  of  his  conduct,  because  it  was  an  act 
of  charity  rarely  met  with  in  his  nation,  and  the  exception,  on 
his  part,  deserves  more  than  a  passing  notice.  There  were 
many  other  citizens  of  Vicksburg  who  acted  liberally  towards 
the  half-starved  poor  of  the  city,  but  we  have  not  been  able  to- 
obtain  their  names. 

We  cannot  frame  words  of  sufficient  eloquence  to  express  our 
admiration  for  the  noble  manner  in  which  the  women  in  the 
city  acted  during  the  siege.  Never,  we  believe,  did  the  Car- 
thagenian  women  evince  more  patriotism  during  the  siege  of 
Carthage,  than  did  the  spirited  and  noble-hearted  women  of 
Vicksburg.  It  is  true  that  they  were  not  called  upon  to  make 
as  many  sacrifices  as  the  women  of  Carthage  were,  a  fact  which 
only  arose  from  the  different  ages  in  which  they  lived.  Among 
the  poorer  classes  of  women;  the  feelling  of  patriotism  was 
strong,  and  the  desire  for  a  successful  defense  was  apparent  in 
their  conversation,  while  the  feeling  among  the  wealthier  class 
of  women  almost  amounted  to  a  wild  enthusiasm.  Never,  du- 
ring this  war,  have  their  devotion  to,  and  interest  in,  the  cause 
been  so  severely  tested,  and  never  has  the  bright  light  of  patri- 
otism shone  in  mankind  with  as  much  brilliancy  as  it  did  in  the 
hearts  of  the  women  of  Vicksburg,  during  the  forty-seven  davs 
the  siege  lasted.  Amid  the  stream  of  mortar  and  Parrott  shells 
that  came  pouring  on  the  devoted  city,  bursting  around  them, 
and  creating  an  uproar,  as  if  all  the  demons  of  hell  had  broken 
loose,  and  were  ascending  to  earth,  these  heroic  women  re- 
mained unawed.  On  the  22d  of  May,  when  the  enemy  endeav- 
ored to  storm  our  works,  the  anxiety,  on  their  part,  that  we 
should  succeed  in  repnlsing  them,  and  the  joy  they  evinced  at 
learning  we  had  gained  the  day,  were  of  the  most  striking  na- 
ture, while,  on  the  day  of  the  engagement  with  the  Cincinnati^ 
alarge  number  of  them  congregated  on  the  most  prominent 
points  in  the  city  to  witness  the  fight,  regardless  of  the  shells 
bursting  above  them,  and  the  fragments  falling  around. 

As  might  be  expected,  several  of  the  women  and  children 
were  killed  or  wounded  during  the  siege ;  among  those  who 
were  unfortunately  struok  by  the  balls  and  shells,  we  only  recol- 
lect the  following  as  killed  :  Miss  Holly,  Mrs.  Cescie,  and  a  Miss 
Jones.  Among  those  who  were  wounded  are  a  Mrs.  Hazzard, 
Mrs.  C.  W.  Peters,  Mrs.  W.  H.  Clements,  Mrs.  Major  T.  B. 
Read,  Miss  Lucy  Rawlings,  Miss  Margaret  Cook,  and  a  Miss 
Hassley.  These  are  only  a  portion  of  those  whe  got  injured, 
the  remaining  names  we  were  unable  to  prooure. 

Notwithstanding  the  heavy  list  of  casualties  among  the  wo- 
men and  children,  their  spirit  remained  unbroken,  and  the  same 


fiE    OF   VICKSBUBG.  49 

desire  was  expressed  among  them,  that  the  city  should  be  suc- 
cessfully defended.  Even  those  who  were  wounded,  half  forgot 
their  pains  in  the  height  of  their  patriotism,  and  suffering  as 
they  were  from  their  wounds,  their  unanimous  desire  was,  that 
the  city  should  be  held  until  relief  should  come,  even  if  they 
had  to  die  for  it.  The  conduct  of  these  heroic  women  should 
be  remembered  long  after  the  independence  of  the  South  is- 
achieved,  and  though  their  names  will  never  be  known,  the  fu- 
ture historian  of  our  struggle  for  freedom,  should  <?olight  to 
honor  and  praise  the  exalted  heroism  and  patriotic  virtues  of 
these  women,  many  of  whom,  delicately  nurtured,  and  reared 
amid  all  the  luxuries  that  wealth  could  afford,  preferred  to 
suffer  the  pangs  of  hunger  and  live  in  damp  caves,  or  endure 
the  pains  of  wounds  inflicted  'by  the  missiles  of  the  enemy,, 
which  even  strong  men  have  groaned  under,  rather  than  see  the 
home  of  their  nativity  surrendered  to  the  enemy  of  their  coun- 
try;  and  we  believe  that,  had  it  been  necessary,  they  would 
have  been  found  at  our  entrenchments  ready  to  aid,  as  much  as 
their  feeble  powers  could  afford,  in  the  defense  of  Vieksburg. 
Though  the  pen  of  the  writer  of  this  work,  cannot  indite  words 
sufficient  to  portray  the  nobleness  they  exhibited  during  the 
memorable  siege  ot  forty-seven  days  duration,  in  future  days 
he  trusts  that  some  one,  more  gifted  than  himself,  will  show  to 
the  world,  as  examples  of  feminine  patriotism  and  endurance, 
the  HEROINES  OF  VICKSBURC  . 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

EXPLOSION  O:  ?  THE  EXELIY'S  MIXES-PARTIAL  DE- 

STRUCTION OF  A  PORTIOX  OF  OUR  WORKS- SEVERE 

:;n:gagement  axd  repulse  of  the  foe. 

On  discovering  that  the  enemy  were  engaged  in  mining  our 
works,  an  our  inability  to  prevent  the  prosecution  of 

their  work,  measures  were  immediately  taken  to  countermine 
and  blow  up  the  working  parties  of  the  enemy.  These  attempts 
however  were  not  successful,  as  the  inadequate  means  at  our 
command,  and  the  position  of  the  hills  on  which  our  works 
were  erected,  rendered  any  undertaking  of  this  nature  very  dif- 
ficult. On  one  portion,  of  the  line  occupied  by  Major  General 
M.  L.  Smith,  the  countermining  was  partially  successful,  several 
of  the  enemy  having  been  killed  when  it  was  blown  up ;  even 
this,  we  cannot  vouch  for,  not  having  been  present  at  the  explo- 
sion, although  the  information  was  received  from  a  very  good 
source.  * 

4 


50  THE    SIEGE    OF    VICKSBURG. 

The  enemy,  by  means  of  their  sappers  and  miners,  had  grad- 
ually approached,  until  they  had  erected  powerful  works  within 
thirty  yards  of  some  portions  of  our  line.  On  the  left  of  the 
Jackson  road,  they  had  occupied  the  hill,  mentioned  in  a  pre- 
vious chapter,  and  erected  a  large  fort  on  it.  This  hill  was  on 
the  immediate  left  of  the  road,  about  thirty  yards  distant  from 
the  line  of  fortifications  occupied  by  the  third  Louisiana,  of 
Hebert's  brigade.  As  we  stated  before,  it  was  a  very  high  and 
strategic  position,  entirely  overlooking  our  works,  and  which 
Brig.  General  Hebert  desired  to  hold,  on  the  Monday  his  troops 
were  placed  in  position,  being  apprehensive  of  the  enemy  taking 
possession  of  it,  which  would  have  enabled  them  to  have  kept 
up  a  destructive  fire  on  the  third  Louisiana,  and  also  enfilade 
the  road  held  by  the  consolidated  twenty-first  and  twenty-third 
Louisiana  regiments.  His  desire  not  being  granted,  the  hill  was 
left  to  the  enemy,  who  quickly  perceived  the  advantageous  po- 
sition they  had  gained,  and  put  it  to  good  use  accordingly. 

From  this  point  the  enemy  kept  up  a  constant  and  concentra- 
ted fire  on  the  works>  and  from  the  vigor  with  which  he  bom- 
barded them;  it  became  apparent  that  this  position  would  be  the 
principal  point  of  attack.  It  was  at  first  thought  that  the  con- 
centration of  their  fire  on  this  particular  point,  was  an  endeavor 
to  destroy  the  works,  but  it  was  afterwards  discovered  as  only 
intended  to  cover  their  mining  operations,  under  the  fort  com- 
prising a  portion  of  our  defenses  on  the  left  of  the  road,  which 
from  the  advantages  possessed  by  the  enemy,  progressed  rapid- 
ly, and  was  soon  in  a  state  of  completion. 

As  soon  as  this  was  discovered,  General  Hebert,  who  had 
shown  considerable  skill  and  valor  during  the  siege,  set  to  work 
and  endeavored  to  foil  them  in  their  efforts.  He  first  had  a 
number  of  hand  grenades  manufactured,  which  he  directed  to 
be  thrown  at  the  enemy's  working  parties,  and  in  a  measure 
stopped  the  prosecution  of  their  work  for  a  time,  but  this  even 
failed,  as  the  enemy  worked  perseveringly  in  the  night,  and  suc- 
ceeded in  making  an  excavation  under  the  fort  of  sufficient  size 
to  protect  them  from  the  hand  grenades,  while  our  men  were 
unable  to  throw  them  in  the  hollow  formed,  in  consequence  of 
the  slanting  construction  of  the  parapet. 

Having  failed  in  his  endeavor  to  prevent  the  enemy  from  mi- 
ning the  fort,  General  Hebert  immediately  set  to  work,  and  had 
a  new  line,  of  some  length,  built  in  the  rear  of  the  threatened 
point.  The  work  under  his  superintendence  was  pushed  for- 
ward with  as  much  alacrity  as  the  number  of  laborers  he  could 
command  could  push  it  forward. 

The  work  having  been  at  last  completed,  by  the  twenty-fifth 
of  June  the  majority  of  the  third  Louisiana  were  removed  from 
the  mined  fort  and  positioned  in  the  new  line,  which  was  very 
close  to  its  rear.  Previous  to  this,  the  enemy  must  have  com- 
pleted their  mine,  and  made  preparations  to  blow  up  the  fort, 


THE    3rEGE    OF    VICKSBCSG.  51 

for  between  four  and  five  o'clock  on  the  evening  of  this  same 
day,  their  train  was  fired,  and  a  terrific  explosion  took  place. 
Huge  masses  of  earth  were  thrown  up  in  the  air,  and  those  who 
experienced  it,  state  that  the  ground  was  shook  as  if  from  an 
earthquake  or  a  volcanic  eruption.  As  soon  as  the  earth  was 
rent,  a  bright  glare  of  fire  issued  from  the  burning  powder,  but 
quickly  died  away,  as  there  was  nothing  of  a  combustible  nature 
in  the  fort  to  ignite.  In  consequence  of  the  men  having  been 
previously  removed  from  the  work,  but  few  of  them  were  in- 
jured, but  all  of  them  were  considerably  jarred  by  the  shock. 

Perceiving  the  fort  partially  destroyed,  a  column  of  the  ene- 
my's infantry,  which  had  laid  concealed  in  the  hollow  beneath 
the  fort  all  day  for  the  purpose,  rushed  forward  with  loud  cheers 
for  the  purpose  of  gaining  possession  of  the  ruins.  They  were 
gallantly  met,  and  a  desperate  struggle  ensued.  The  third  Loui- 
siana, which  is  without  doubt  one  of  the  best  fighting  regiments 
in  the  service,  stood  up  manfully  against  overwhelming  numbers, 
and  despite  every  exertion  on  their  part  to  storm  the  line,  held 
them  in  check,  until  the  sixth  Missouri,  another  gallant  regiment, 
under  Col.  Eugene  Erwin,  had  arrived  and  reinforced  them.  As 
soon  as  they  arrived,  Col.  Erwin,  who  was  ahead  of  his  men, 
immediately  ascended  the  parapet  of  the  ruined  fort,  when  a 
Minie  ball,  from  one  of  the  sharpshooters,  pierced  his  heart  and 
he  fell  dead.  He  was  a  grandson  of  Henry  Clay,  and  from  the 
•commencement  of  the  war  an  ardent  supporter  of  the  South. 

The  Missourians,  enraged  at  the  death  of  their  Colonel,  fought 
like  demons,  and,  aided  by  the  third  Louisiana,  sprang  into  the 
ruined  fort,  and  after  a  severe  contest  of  two  or  three  hours 
duration,  succeeded  in  repulsing  the  enemy  with  great  slaughter. 

From  our  men  being  very  much  exposed  to  the  enemy  in  this 
engagement,  our  loss  was  not  less  than  eighty-six  in  killed  and 
wounded ;  a  very  heavy  list  of  casualties,  for  the  small  number 
of  men  engaged  on  our  side.  So  close  were  the  enemy  to  our 
men  during  the  fight,  that  they  could  have  conversed  in  a  low 
tone  with  one  another.  Brigadier  General  Hebert  was  himself 
present  during  this  engagement,  and  acted  with  his  usual  cool- 
ness and  intrepidity. 

The  loss  of  the  enemy  could  not  have  been  less  than  four  hun- 
dred in  killed  and  wounded,  as  they  lay  in  large  numbers  before 
our  works  after  the  fight,  and  a  large  number  of  wounded  men 
were  taken  from  the  field  as  they  fell.  So  severely  punished 
were  they  in  this  attack,  that  in  the  second  attempt  they  made 
to  blow  up  the  remainder  of  this  fort,  they  did  not  try  to  storm 
the  line. 

While  this  struggle  was  going  on,  no  demonstrations  were 
made  on  any  other  portion  of  the  line,  beyond  the  accustomed 
amount  of  shellin^aji^jsj^rpshooting.  Rumors  of  a  speedy 
relief  to  the  garrlsan  w^e^K^  spread  among  the  troops,  but 
from  all  the  past  reports  proving  false,  the  soldiers  had  begun  to 

x        (     «,"?"»     )        5689^ 


52  THE    SIEGE    OF    VICKgBTJJUS. 

doubt  everything  they  hear'c^  leaving  it  for  time  to  tlecide  wheth- 
er they  should  be  relieved  or  not. 


;  AFTER  XXV. 

DEATH   OF  GEX.  GREEX,  OF   MISSOURI.     RUM  GEN. 

JOHNSTON'S  ADVANCE. 

Two  or  three  days  after  the  destruction  of  our  worts  by  the. 
explosion  of  the  enemy's  mine,  an  event  of  a  most  melancholy 
nature  transpired.  Brigadier  General  Green,  commanding  a 
brigade  of  Missourians  and  Arkansinns,  in  Bowen's  division* 
was  shot  in  the  neck  by  a  Mjirie  ball,  while  in  conversation  with 
his  staff.  Although  medical  aid  was  promptly  given  to  him,  it 
was  of  no  avail ;  his  wound  Avas  mortal,  and  after  lingering  for 
about  an  hour  he  expired.  . 

Gen.  Green  wa<s  an  aged  man,  esteemed  by  all  who  knew  him 
for  his  unswerving  devotion  to  the  great  cause  for  which  he 
fell  fighting,  his  intrepid  valor,  and  his  genial  and  amiable  qual- 
ities. Ke  was  a  quiet  and  unassuming  man  ;  all  the  unnecessary 
pomp  and  dignity  of  the  high  position  he  occupied  wTere  laid 
aside,  and  the  meanest  private  in  his  command  had  free  and  un- 
interrupted access  to  his  presence.  So  endeared  was  he  to  his 
men,  that  they  looked  upon  him  more  in  the  light  of  a  friend 
than  that  of  a  G-eneral,  Many  noble  sons  of  Missouri  have  fal- 
len in  this  struggle  for  independence,  bravely  fighting  for  their 
homes  and  firesides,  now  in  possession  of  the  foe,  but  none  of 
her  martyrs  in  this  holy  cause  will  be  deserving  of  greater  praise,, 
or  spoken  of  in  more  glowing  terms,  than  the  aged  and  patri- 
otic ;  General  Green.  We  were  told  that  he  wished, 
ith,  that  he  would  not  live  to  see  the  city  sur- 
rendered. If  such  was  Iris  wish,  he  was  gratified,  for  the  fatal 
ball,  that  ended  his  career  on  earth,  came  just  four  days  before 
the  offer  was  niade^o  yield  Vieksburg  to  the  ieuemy. 

Xo  event  of  any  importance  transpire-':  from  this  day  to  the 
twenty-ninth  of  June.  The  army  and  the  citizens  had  alinost 
despaired  .of  ever  seeing  Johnston  arrive.  The  couriers  who 
ran  the  gauntlet  through  the  enemy's  lines,  and  arrived  safely 
in  Vieksburg,  brought  the  most  exaggerated  reports  possible  of 
the  strength  and  position  of  the  army  soon  to  march  to  our  re- 
lief. They  stated  that  Gen.  Johnston's  force  was  not  less  than 
from  fifty  to  sixty  thousand  strong,  and  were  stretched  from 
Jackson  to  Canton,  Mississippi.  With  these  reports,  the  people 
and  garrison  in  general  were  surprised  at  his  not  making  an  ad- 
vance on  the  enemy,  as  they  felt  certain  that  •.  his  force  was  as- 


THE    SIE>E    OF    VICKSBUR^.  53 

.-strong  as  represented,  there  would  be  no  difficulty  in  defeating 
any  army  the  enemy  could  possibly  send  against  him. 

At  this  period,  some  unprincipled  persons,  actuated  no  doubt 
by  animosity  against  General  Johnston,  spread  a  report  in  our 
lines,  that  it  was  not  his  intention  to  relieve  the  garrison,  as  he 
bad  given  Lieutenant  General  Pembertoii  orders  to  evacuate  the 
city,  which  order  not  being  obeyed,  if  ho  (Johnston)  came  to 
the  relief  of  the  beleagured  array  and  succeeded  in  raising  the 
siege,  it  would  compromise  his  reputation  as  a  commander  and 
an  officer.  Such  being  the  case,  tho  garrison  would  not  l>c  re- 
lieved, and  Vicksbun*  would  be  left  to  her  fate. 

These  reports,  coming  to  the  ears  of  the  soldiers,  caused  some 
feeling  of  anger  against  General  Johnson  for  a  short  time.  All 
doubts  of  his  desire  or  intention  to  aid  them  were  soon  laid 
aside,  however,  by  tho  reports  given  to  the  men  by  tho  enemy's 
pickets,  and  they  determined  to  patiently  await  his  arrival,  be- 
ing certain  that  as  soon  as  he  had  organized  a  sufficiently  large 
force,  he  would  march  to  Vicksburg  and  raise  tho  siege. 

Among  the  many  false  reports  brought  into  our  line,  was  one 
which  stated  that  Major  General  Loring  had  crossed  tho  Big 
Black  at  Hankersoa's  Ferry,  and  was  advancing  towards  Vicks- 
burg, when  he  was  met  by  an  overwhelming  force  of  the  enemy. 
A  severe  engagement  was  then  said  to  have  ensued,  in  which 
General  Loring  was  repulsed  and  compelled  to  fall  back.  After 
retreating  for  some  distance,  he  was  reinforced  by  Major  Gen- 
eral Breckinridge's  division,  and,  making  a  stand  the  next  day, 
fought  a  severe  battle,  routing  the  eneaiy  and  intlioting  great 
slaughter  on  him,  and  capturing  six  thousand  prisoners. 

We  make  mention  of  these  reports  to  show  the  deceptions 
practised  on  the  men,  although  the  statement  narrated  above 
was  given  by  the  enemy,  so  far  as  it  relates  to  the  repulse  of 
Loring,  but  they  said  nothing  about  the  subsequent  defeat  of 
their  army.  As  may  be  supposed,  these  reports,  cheering  the 
men  as  they  did,  when  contradicted,  did  not  tend  to  lighten  the 
sufferings  of  the  men,  or  relieve  the  anxiety  which  ali  felt*  for 
the  advent  of  succor. 

The  brave  men,  nevertheless,  still  continued  to  bear  up  cheer- 
fully against  the  hardships  and  sufferings  they  were  then  endu- 
ring, and  there  were  but  few  who  expressed  any  fear  of  our 
ability  to  hold  the  city,  or  who  grew  doubtful  of  final  success. 


54  THE    SIE6E    OF    VICKSBUHG. 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 

SECOND  EXPLOSION  OF  THE   ENEMY'S  MINE,   AND    OCCU- 
PATION OF  A  PORTION  OF  THE  FORT— THE  GARRISON 
REDUCED  TO  MULE  MEAT. 

After  the  explosion  of  their  mine,  on  the  25th  of  June,  and 
the  partial  destruction  of  the  fort,  the  enemy  set  vigorously  to 
work  on  a  new  mine,  for  the  purpose  of  completing  its  destruc- 
tion; and,  having  gotten  everything  in  readiness,  on  the  1.0th 
of  June,  at  about  4  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  a  second  explosion 
took  place,  from  which  the  enemy  succeeded  in  destroying  the 
remnant  left  standing.  No  effort  was  made  to  storm  the  works 
in  the  rear  of  the  ruins,  although  several  of  our  men  were  killed 
and  wounded,  either  by  the  fragments  of  dirt,  or  by  the  explo- 
sion. 

The  third  Louisiana  regiment,  which  occupied  this  line 
throughout  the  siege,  suffered  more  than  any  other  body  of  men 
in  the  garrison.  Several  times  their  position  was  charged  in  the 
most  desperate  manner,  and  twice  was  it  blown  up  by  the  ene- 
my. The  loss  they  sustained  during  the  siege,  was  not  far  from 
two  hundred  out  of  about  four  hundred  and  fifty  contained  in 
the  regiment  when  the  siege  commenced.  This  was  a  fearful 
loss,  when  we  consider  it  with  that  of  the  other  commands. 

In  spite  of  the  exposed  position  they  occupied,  these  men, 
heroes  of  Belmont,  Oak  Hill,  Elk  Horn  and  Corinth,  stood  up 
manfully  to  their  posts,  and  held  their  position  against  every 
effort  of  the  enemy  to  force  their  line.  We  make  particular 
mention  of  this  regiment  without  disparagement  to  any  other 
of  the  commands,  as  all  fought  with  a  valor  unsurpassed  in  the 
annals  of  war,  but  merely  as  an  act  of  justice  to  a  gallant  body 
of  men,  the  survivors  of  what  was  once  a  regiment  nearly 
twelve  hundred  strong ;  and  in  giving  them  this  praise,  we  but 
echo  the  opinion  of  every  soldier  in  the  Confederate  army,  who 
has  seen  them  in  battle. 

The  firing  from  the  peninsula,  with  mortars  and  siege  guns  on 
Vicksburg,  had  meanwhile  continued  with  violence.  Additional 
guns  were  brought  to  bear  upon  the  devoted  city,  making  it 
almost  untenable.  Starvation,  in  its  worst  forms,  now  con- 
fronted the  unfortunate  inhabitants,  and,  had  the  siege  lasted 
two  weeks  longer,  the  consequences  would  have  been  terrible. 
All  the  beef  in  the  city  was  exhausted  by  this  time,  and  mules 
were  soon  brought  in  requisition,  and  their  meat  sold  readily  at 
one  dollar  per  pound,  the  citizens  being  as  anxious  to  get  it,  as 
they  were  before  the  investment,  to  purchase  the  delicacies  of 
the  season.  It  was  also  distributed  among  the  soldiers,  to  those 
who  desired  it,  although  it  was  not  given  out  under  the  name 
of  rations.     A  great  many  of  them,  however,  accepted  it  in 


THE    SIEGE    OP    VICKSBUEG.  55 

preference  to  doing  without  any  meat,  and  the  flesh  of  the  mules 
was  found  equal  to  the  best  venison.  The  author  of  this  work 
partook  of  mule  meat  for  three  or  four  days,  and  found  the 
flesh  tender  and  nutritious,  and,  under  the  peculiar  circum- 
stances, a  most  desirable  description  of  food. 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 

SHELLING  OF  OUR  HOSPITALS— CASUALTIES   AMONG    OUR 

OFFICERS 

During  the  siege,  the  enemy,  forgetful  of,  or  disregarding  all 
rules  of  civilized  warfare,  exhibited  a  refinement  of  cruelty  in 
firing  at  our  hospitals.  There  were  between  four  and  five  thou- 
sand sick  and  wounded  soldiers  in  the  different  hospitals  in 
Vicksburg,  over  each  of  which  the  usual  yellow  flag  floated  to 
designate  that  they  were  hospitals.  Without  appearing  to  care 
whether  they  were  or  not,  the  enemy  deliberately  fired  into 
them,  killing  and  wounding  several  of  the  unfortunate  beings, 
whose  ill-luck  it  was  to  be  quartered  there  for  medical  treat- 
ment. That  this  barbarous  act  was  committed  intendedly,  was 
apparent  when  the  Washington  Hotel,  which  had  been  con- 
verted into  one  of  the  hospitals,  in  fall  view  of  the  enemy,  on 
the  banks  of  the  river,  was  struck  by  a  twelve-inch  mortar. 
Humanity  would  scarcely  feel  inclined  to  believe  that  an  act  so 
fiendish  could  be  perpetrated  by  men  calling  themselves  civil- 
ized beings,  but  such  was  the  case,  and  this  conduct  must  for- 
ever remain  a  reproach  upon  the  nation  or  people  who  could 
sanction  such  brutal  behavior. 

We  have  not  been  able  to  learn  whether  Lieutenant  General 
Pemberton  ever  protested  against  the  shelling  of  our  hospitals, 
or  remonstrated  with  General  Grant  at  permitting  it ;  if  he  did, 
no  regard  was  paid  to  his  complaint,  as  they  continued  their 
barbarity  until  the  end  of  the  siege.  After  the  surrender  of 
the  city,  the  Federal  officers,  in  explanation,  and  as  an  apology 
for  their  conduct,  stated  that  the  guns  on  the  peninsria  were 
manned  by  raw  troops,  and  served  the  double  purpose  of  an- 
noying the  city  and  practising  the  men,  but  that  General  Grant 
never  countenanced,  or  gave  his  consent  to  the  hospitals  being 
shelled. 

From  the  commencement  of  the  siege  to  the  time  we  write  of, 
many  noble  and  gallant  officers  had  yielded  their  life  in  Jefense 
of  their  country.  Among  those  killed  were  Colonel  Herrick,  of 
the  21st  Louisiana;  Lieutenant  Colonel  Rogers,  of  the  17th 
Louisiana;    Major  Hoadhy,   of  the  heavy  Artillery;    Colonel 


t 


56  THE    SIEGE    OF    VICKSBUSG. 

Garrett,  of  the  20th  Alabama;  Major  Martin,  of  the  26th  Lou- 
isiana ;  Brigadier  General  Green,  of  Missouri ;  Colonel  Eugene 
Erwin,  of  the  6th  Missouri,  and  others.  Among  the  wounded 
were  Colonel  W.  Hall,  of  the  26th  Louisiana;  Colonel  Patton, 
of  the  2 8d  Louisiana;  Colonel  Marks,  of  tho  27th  Louisiana, 
(since  dead)  ;  and  Brigadier  General  Baldwin,  of  Smith's  divi- 
sion. There  were,  unfortunately,  many  others  killed  and  wound- 
ed during  tho  siege,  who  belonged  to  the  field  and  staff,  but 
their  names,  with  those  of  the  many  hundreds  of  gallant  spirits 
who  fell  in  defense  of  tho  "  Gibraltar  of  the  South,"  could  not 
be  obtained;  but  though  the  world  may  never  know  their  names, 
the  eilent  voice  of  Freedom,  more  eloquent  than  all  the  praise  we 
can  bestow,  will  bless  the  memory  of  those  who  fell  bravely 
fighting  in  a  just  cause,  and  a  grateful  nation  will  long  mourn 
her  unknown  defenders  who  fell  at  their  post  of  duty*  with  their 
face  to  their  foe,  fighting  heroically. 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

SEALING  OF  THE  FATE  OF  VICKSBURQ-OFFER  TO  SURREN- 
DER-INDIGNATION OF  THE  GARRISON. 

No  attempt  was  made  to  storm  our  works,  or  no  demonstra- 
tion made  by  the  enemy,  with  their  mines,  from  the  twenty- 
ninth  of  June  to  the  surrender  of  the  city,  although  the  same 
heavy  carnonading  and  sharpshooting  was  kept  up,  until  an  ar- 
mistice was  requested  by  Lieutenant  General  Pemberton. 

Several  nights  prior  to  the  surrender  of  the  city,  the  enemy's 
piekets  told  our  men  that  preparations  were  being  made  to 
storm  our  works  on  the  fourth  of  July,  as  Grant  had  determin- 
ed to  sup  in  Vicksburg  on  that  night,  or  sup  in  h — 1,  to  which 
remark  one  of  our  pickets  replied,  that  as  there  was  no  chance 
of  Grant's  supping  in  Yicksburg  on  the  fourth  of  July,  it  was 
very  likely  he  would  sup  in  the  latter  place.  Not  a  man  had 
the  least  idea  that  the  city  would  be  yielded  up  to  the  enemy 
on  that  day,  all  of  them  thinking  that  when  the  worse  came 
we  would  cut  our  way  out  of  the  city.  To  cut  our  way  out, 
however,  was  utterly  impracticable.  Our  men  were  so  weak 
and  exhausted  from  the  want  of  a  sufficiency  of  food,  that  such 
an  attempt  would  have  resulted  in  the  annihilation  of  the  entire 
army,  as  we  do  not  believe  that  out  of  the  eighteen  thousand 
men  reported  for  duty,  three  thousand  could  have  succeeded  in 
reaching  Big  Black  safely.  This  was  evidently  the  opinion  of 
Lieutenant  General  Pemberton  and  his  subordinate  Generals,  and 
the  surrender  of  the  city  was  made.     That   surrendering  was 


THE    SIEGE    OF    VICK3BTTRG.  5<7 

the  best  course  to  be  adopted  we  will  acknowledge,  but  that  ve 
should  have  surrendered  then  is  what  we  do  notbelieve,  if  the 
statements  made  in  defense  of  General  Pemberton  be  true  — 
We  will,  however,  refer  to.  this  in  another  chanter. 

On  Friday,  the  third  of  July,  at  about  ten  o'clock  in  the  morn- 
ing, a  flag  of  truce  was  hoisted  on  the  Jackson  road  and  hostili- 
ties ceased.  A  short  time  afterwards  General  Bowen  and  Col 
Montgomery,  aid  to  General  Pemberton,  were  scon  leaving  the 
works  for  the  enemy's  lines.  As  soon  as  they  left  the  men°con- 
jectured  that  the  object  of  their  visit  was  to  treat  for  a  surren- 
der of  the  citT.  The  excitement  among  the  men  soon  became 
alarming,  until  it  was  allayed  by  a  statement  that  General  Pem- 
berton had  sent  to  General  Grant  for  the  purpose  of  getting  his 
consent  to  our  removing  the  siek  and  wounded  and  the  women 
and  children  from  the  city. 

After  remaining  in  the  enemy's  line  for  some  time,  General 
Bowen  and  Colonel  Montgomery  returned,   when  icial 

correspondence  in  the  next  chapter  took  place. 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 

OFFICIAL  CORRESPONDENCE  BETWEEN  GENS.  PEMBERTQN 
AND  GRANT.    SURRENDER  OF  VICKSBURG  MADE. 

This  chapter  contains  the  official  correspondence  of  Generals 
1  emberton  and  Grant,  which  we  copy  from  the  United  States  pa- 
pers. We  give  it  so  as  to  complete  as  much  as  possible  this  work 

General  Pemberton  '$  Letter  proposing  the  Surrender  of  Vicks- 

burg. 
Headquarters,  Vicksbi-rg,  July  3,  18G3. 
Maj.  Gen.  XL  S.  Grakt,  Commanding  United  States  forces. 

General :  I  have  the  honor  to  present  to  you  an  armistice  for 
—  hours  with  the  view  to  arranging  terms  for  the  capitulation 
of  \icksburg.  To  this  end,  if  agreeable  to  you,  I  will  appoint 
three  commissioners,  to  meet  a  like  number  to  be  named  by 
yourseit,  at  such  place  and  hour  to-day  as  you  mav  find  conve- 
nient. I  make  this  proposition  to  save  the  further  effusion  of 
blood,  winch  must  otherwise  be  shed  to  a  frightful  extent,  feel- 
ing myself  fally  able  to  maintain  mv  position  for  a  yet  indefinite 
period. 

This  communication  will  be  handed  you  un 
by  Major  General  James  Bow. 

Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

J.-  C.  Pembe 


58 


THE    SIEGE    OP   VICKSBURG. 


To  this  General  Grant  replied  as  follows : 

General  Grants  Reply. 

Headquarters  Dep't  of  Texness  >:••:, 
In  the  Field,  near  Vicksburg,  July  3,  1863. 

Lieut.  Gen.  J.  C.  Pemberton,  commanding  Confederate  forces, 
.  etc. 

General:  Your  note  of  this  date,  just  received  v  proposes  an 
armistice  of  several  hours,  for  the  purpose  of  arranging  terms 
of  capitulation,  through  commissioners  to  be  appointed,  etc. 
The  effusion  of  blood  you  propose  stopping  by  this  source  can 
be  ended  at  any  time  you  may  choose,  by  an  unconditional  sur- 
render of  the  garrison-  Men  who  have  shown  so  much  endu- 
rance and  courage  as  those  now  in  Vicksburg,  will  always  chal- 
lenge the  respect  of  an  adversary,  and  I  can  assure  you  will  be 
treated  with  all  the  respect  due  them  as  prisoners  of  war.  I  do 
not  favor  the  proposition  of  appointing  commissioners  to  arrange 
terms  of  capitulation,  because  I  have  no  other  terms  than  those 
indicated  above. 

I  am,  General,  very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

U.  S.  Grant,  Major  General. 

Gen.  Bo  wen,  the  bearer  of  Gen.  Pemberton's  letter,  was  re- 
ceived by  Gen.  A.  J.  Smith.  He  expressed  a  strong  desire  to 
converse  with  Gen.  Grant,  and  accordingly,  while  declining  this, 
Gen.  Grant  requested  Gen.  Smith  to  say,  that  if  Gen.  Pembef- 
ton  desired  to  see  him,  an  interview  would  be  granted  between 
the  lines,  in  McPherson's  front,  at  any  hour  in  the  afternoon 
which  Gen.  Pemberton  might  appoint. 

A  message  was  sent  back  to  Gen.  Smith  appointing  three 
o'clock  as  the  hour.  General  Grant  was  there  with  his  staff,  and 
Gens.  Ord,  McPherson,  Logan  and  A.  J.  Smith.  Gen.  Pember- 
ton came  late,  attended  by  Gen.  Bowen  and  Col.  Montgomery. 
He  was  much  excited  and  impertinent  in  his  answers  to  General 
Grant.  The  conversation  was  held  apart,  between  Gen.  Pem- 
berton and  his  officers,  and  Gens.  Grant,  McPherson  and  A.  J, 
Smith.  The  rebels  insisted  on  being  paroled,  and  allowed  to 
march  beyond  our  lines ;  officers  and  men  all  with  eight  days' 
rations,  drawn  from  their  own  stores,  the*officers;to  retain  their 
private  property  and  body  servants. 

Gen.  Grant  heard  what  they  had  to  say,  and  left  them  at  the 
end  of  an  hour  and  a  half,  saying  he  would  send  in  his  ultimat- 
um in  writing,  to  which  Gen.  Pemberton  promised  to  reply  be- 
fore night,  hostilities  to  cease  in  the  meantime. 

Gen.  Grant  then  conferred  at  his  headquarters  with  his  corps 
and  divison  commanders,  and  sent  the  following  letter  to  Gen. 
Pemberton  by  the  hand  of  General  Logan  and  Lieutenant  Colo- 
nel Wilson : 


THE    SIEGE    OF    VICRSBUEG.  59 

General  Grant's  offer  for  the  Surrender. 

Headquarters,  Department  op  Tennessee,  ) 
Xear  Vicksburg,  July  3,  1863.      \ 

Lieut.  Gen.  J.  C.  Pemberton,  Commanding  Confederate  forces, 
Vicksburg,  Miss. 

General:  In  conformity  with  the  agreement  of  this  afternoon, 
I  will  submit  the  following  proposition  for  the  surrender  of  the 
City  of  Vicksburg,  public  stores,  etc.  On  your  accepting  the 
terms  proposed,  I  will  march  in  one  division,  as  a  guard,  and 
take  possession  at  eight  o'clock  to-morrow  morning.  As  soon 
as  paroles  can  be  made  out  and  signed  by  the  officers  and  men, 
you  will  be  allowed  to  march  out  of  our  lines,  the  officers  tak- 
ing with  them  their  regimental  clothing,  and  staff,  field  and 
cavalry  officers  one  horse  each.  The  rank  and  file  will  be  allow- 
ed all  their  clothing,  but  no  other  property. 

If  these  conditions  are  accepted,  any  amount  of  rations  you 
may  deem  necessary  can  be  taken  from  the  stores  you  now  have, 
and  also  the  necessary  cooking  utensils  for  preparing  them  ; 
thirty  wagons  also,  counting  two  two-horse  or  mule  teams  as 
one.  You  will  be  allowed  to  transport  such  articles  as  cannot 
be  carried  along.  The  same  conditions  will  be  allowed  to  all 
sick  and  wounded  officers  and  privates,!  as  fast  as  they  become 
able  to  travel.  The  paroles  of  these  latter  must  be  signed,  how- 
ever, whilst  officers  are  present,  authorized  to  sign  the  roll  of 
prisoners.     I  am,  General,  very  respectfully, 

Your  obedient  servant, 

U.  S.  Grant,  Major  General. 

The  officers  who  received  this  letter  stated  that  it  would  be 
impossible  to  answer  it  by  night,  and  it  was  not  till  a  little  be- 
fore peep-cf-day  that  the  proposed  reply  was  furnished. 

Reply  of  Gen.  Pemberton,  accepting  all  the  terms  offered  by 
General   Gra-nt. 

Headquarters,  Vicksburg,  July  3. 

Maj.  Gen.  IT.  S.  Grant,  Commanding  United  States  Forces. 

General :  I  have  the  honor  to  acknowledge  the  receipt  of  your 
communication  of  this  date,  proposing  terms  for  the  surrender 
of  this  garrison  and  post.  In  the  main  your  terms  are  accept- 
ed ;  but  in  justice  both  to  the  honor  and  spirit  of  my  troops, 
manifested  in  the  defense  of  Vicksburg,  I  have  the  honor  to 
submit  the  following  amendments,  which,  if  acceded  to  by  you, 
will  perfect  the  agreement  between  us :  At  ten  o'clock  to-mor- 
row I  propose  to  evacuate  the  works  in  and  around  Vicksburg, 
and  to  surrender  the  city  and  garrison  under  my  command  by 
marching  out  with  my  colors  and  arms  and  stacking  them  in 
front  of  my  present  limits,  after  which  you  will  take  possession  ; 


€0  THE    SIEGE    OF    VICKSBURG. 

officers  to  retain  their  side  arms  and  personal  property,  and  the 
rights  and  property  of  citizens  to  be  respected. 

I  am,  General,  yours,  very  respectfully, 

J.  C.  Pemberton,  Lieutenant  General. 

To  this  General  Grant  immediately  replied  as  follows: 

Headquarters  Department  of  Tennessee,  [ 
Before  Vicksburg,  July  4,  1863.      \ 

Lieutenant  General  Peitberton,  commanding  forces  in  Vicks- 
burg : 

General :  I  have  the  honor  to  acknowledge  your  communica- 
tion of  the  3d  of  July.  The  amendments  proposed  by  you  can* 
not  be  acceded  to  in  full.  It  will  be  necessary  to  furnish  every 
officer  and  man  with  a  parole  signed  by  myself,  which,  with  the 
completion  of  the  rolls  of  prisoners,  will  necessarily  take  some 
time.  Again :  I  can  make  no  stipulation  with  regard  to  the 
treatment  of  citizens  and  their  private  property.  While  I  do 
not  propose  to  cause  any  of  them  any  undue  annoyance  or  loss, 
I  cannot  consent  to  leave  myself  under  restraint  by  stipulations. 
The  property  which  officers  can  be  allowed  to  take  with  them, 
will  be  as  stated  in  the  proposition  of  last  evening — that  is,  that 
officers  will  be  allowed  their  private  baggage  and  side  arms,  and 
mounted  officers  one  horse  each.  If  you  mean  by  your  prop- 
ositions for  each  brigade  to  march  to  the  front  of  the  lines  now 
occupied  by  it,  and  stack  their  arms  at  ten  o'clock,  A.  M.,  and 
then  return  to  the  inside  and  remain  as  prisoners  until  properly 
paroled,  I  will  make  no  objections  to  it.  Should  no  modifica- 
tion be  made  of  your  acceptance  of  my  terms  by  nine  o'clock, 
A.  ]VL,  I  shall  regard  them  as  having  been  rejected,  and  act  ac- 
cordingly. Should  these  terms  be  accepted,  white  flags  will  be 
displayed  along  your  lines  to  prevent  such  of  my  troops  as  may 
not  have  been  notified  from  firing  on  your  men. 

I  am,  General,  very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

U.  S.  Grant, 
Major  General  United  States  Army. 

To  this  the  subjoined  answer  has  this  moment  been  received: 
Unconditional  Acceptance  by  General  Pemberton,  of  the  terms 
Proposed  by  General  Grant. 

Headquarters,  Vicksburg,  ) 
July  4,  1863.       \ 
Major  General  U.  S.  Gra>t,  commanding  United  States  forces, 
etc. 
General:  I  have  the  honor  to  acknowledge  the  receipt  of  your 
communication  of  this  date,  and  in  reply,  to  say  that  the  terms 
proposed  by  you  are  accepted.     Very  respectfully, 

J.  C.  Pemberton,  Lieutenant  General. 


'HE    SIEGE    OF    VICK9BUBG.  CI 


CHAPTER  XXX. 


SURRENDER  OF  VICK3BURG   AND   GARRISON— TERMS    OF 

::ITULATIOX— LAYING  DOWN  OF  THE  ARMS. 

tt  three  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  of  the  third  of  Jul?, 
Lieutenant  General  Pemberton,  accompanied  by  Major  General 
Bo  wen,  left  our  lines  and  proceeded  to  the  neutral  ground,  pre- 
viously designated,  and  had  an  interview  with  General  Grant. 
suit  of  their  conference  wo  have  already  given  in  the 
!  correspondence.  After  an  absence  of  about  two  hours' 
duration,  Lieutenant  General  Pemborton  and  Major  General 
Bo  wen  returned  into  our  lines.  As  an  armistice  had  been  de- 
clared until  ten  o'clock  that  evening,  the  firing  ceased,  and  the 
shades  of  night  descended  upon  the  two  opposing  armies  in 
quietude,  unbroken,  save  by  the  voices  of  the  soldiers  in  low  but 
angry  and  indignant  conversation,  at  what  they  deemed  a  dis- 
grace upon  their  country  in  surrendering  the  city  they  had  so  long 
and  nobly  fought,  and  endured  the  pangs  of  hunger  to  defend. 

At  dark,  en  the  evening  of  this  day,  a  council  of  all  the  Gen- 
erals was  held  at  General  Pemberton's  headquarters,  which 
lasted  for  several  hours.  Although  we  could  not  learn  what 
transpired  in  an  official  way,  we  received  information,  from  <^ood 
authority,  that  it  was  decided,  by  a  majority  of  tho  general 
officers,  that  the  troops  were  entirely  too  weak  from  the  want 
of  food  to  cut  their  way  through,  and  that  if  the  position  had 
to  be  yielded,  it  was  useless  to  sacrifice  tho  lives  of  the  men  in 
a  fruitless  endeavor;  so  that  the  only  course  left  was  to  surren- 
der the  garrison  on  General  Grant's  terms  of  capitulation.  Of 
the  Major  Generals  present,  we  understand  that  Major  General 
M.  L.  Smith  was  the  only  one  who  absolutely  opposed  surren- 
dering on  any  condition,  preferring  to  remain  behind  the  breast- 
works and  starve  rather  than  give  up  the  city.  A  majority  of 
the  council,  being  of  a  contrary  opinion  to  him,  however;  he 
was,  of  course,  necessitated  to  abide  by  their  decision,  and 
about  three  o'clock  a  messenger  was  sent  into  G  rant's 

lines  with  dispatches  from  Lieutenant  General  Pemberton. 

On  Saturday  morning,  a  circular  v.  id  from  headquar- 

ters, announcing  the  surrender  of  Vicksburg  and  garrison,  and 
stating  the  terms  of  capitulation  to  be  as  follows : 

1st.  The  entire  garrison  of  Confederate  troops  was  to  be  sur- 
rendered to  Major  .General  Grant,  commanding  the  Lmited 
States  forces. 

.  2d.  The  prisoners  of  war  were  to  be  paroled  and  sent  out  of 
the  city  as  soon  as  blank  paroles  were  printed. 

3d.  All  mounted  officers  to  have  the  privilege  of  retaining 
their  horses. 


62  THE    SIEGE    OF    VICKSBURG. 

4th.  All  officers  of  every  grade  and  rank  were  to  retain  their 
side  arms,  &c. 

5th.  All  citizens  desiring  to  leave  the  city  with  the  Confed- 
erate forces,  could  do  so  on  being  paroled. 

6th.  All  ammunition,  stores,  field  artillery  and  siege  guns, 
were  to  be  surrendered  to  the  United  States  forces,  as  also  all 
small  arms  in  our  possession. 

These  are  about  the  substance  of  the  terms  of  capitulation. 
Although  we  made  no  copy  of  Lieutenant  General  Pemberton's 
circular,  this  will  be  found  as  correct  a  statement  as  could  be 
desired. 

"When  it  was  officially  announced  to  our  men  that  Vicksburg 
was  surrendered  to  the  enemy,  their  indignation  knew  no 
bounds.  Having  been  among  the  troops,  we  can  truthfully 
speak  what  we  heard  and  saw  of  the  expressions  of  sentiment 
on  their  part  relative  to  the  surrender.  With  almost  an  unani- 
mous voice  the  soldiers  declared  that  General  Pemberton  had 
yielded  the  city  without  their  will,  and  against  any  desire  on 
their  part.  All  expressed  a  determination  never  to  serve  under 
him  again,  many  stating,  that  rather  than  be  under  the  command 
of  such  a  man,  they  would  desert  from  the  army,  if  they  were 
afterwards  shot  for  it.  It  is  not  to  be  denied  that  the  feeling 
among  the  men  amounted  almost  to  a  mutinous  one — to  such 
a  degree,  indeed,  was  it,  that  many  threats  were  made,  which 
only  the  argument  and  supplication  of  the  officers  prevented  the 
men  from  putting  into  execution. 

All  the  statements  we  have  made  above  in  reference  to  the 
feelings  of  the  soldiers  are  truth— every  word  truth,  and  in  sub- 
stantiation of  them,  we  call  upon  the  soldiers  and  officers  com- 
posing the  garrison  of  Vicksburg,  to  vouch  for  all  we  have 
said. 

On  Saturday  morning,  the  fourth  of  July,  and  the  anniversary 
of  American  Independence,  the  troops  composing  the  army  of 
Lieutenant  General  Pemberton  marched  from  the  line  of  in- 
trenchments  they  had  defended  and  held  for  nearly  two  months, 
amid  hardships  and  privations  unsurpassed  in  the  annals  of 
modern  warfare,  and  after  stacking  the  arms  they  had  so  well 
and  nobly  used,  and  lowering  the  standards  which  had  proudly 
floated  on  many  a  bloody  battle-field,  returned  inside  the  works, 
prisoners  of  war  to  their  bitterest  foe. 


THE    SrEGE    OF    TICKSBXTEG.  63 


CHAPTER  XXXI. 

OCCUPATION  OF  VICKSBURG  BY   THE  ENEMY.    CONDUCT 
OF  YANKEE  SOLDIERS.     IMPUDENCE  OF  NEGROES. 

On  Saturday,  at  twelve  o'clock,  M.,  Logan's  division  of  Mc- 
Pherson's  corps,  of  the  Federal  army,  commenced  entering  the 
city,  and  in  a  quarter  of  an  hour  Vicksbnrg  was  crammed  with 
them.  Their  first  act  was  to  take  possession  of  the  court  house, 
on  the  spire  of  which  they  hoisted  the  United  States  flag,  amid 
the  exultant  shouts  of  their  comrades,  and  a  deep  feeling  of 
humiliation  on  the  part  of  the  Confederate  soldiers  who  witness- 
ed the  hauling  up  of  the  nag  which  they  had  hoped  never  to  see, 
floating  over  the  city  they  had  so  long  and  proudly  boasted  im- 
pregnable, and  never  to  be  taken  by  the  enemy  of  the  South. 

After  the  enemy's  forces  had  stacked  their  arms,  they  scat- 
tered over  the  city,  and  then  commenced  a  scene  of  pillage  and 
action  which  beggars  all  description.  Houses  and  stores 
were  broken  open,  and  their  contents  appropriated  by  the  plun- 
<.  The  amount  of  money  and  property  stolen  in  this  way 
was  enormous,  and  the  Yankee  soldiers  appeared  to  glory  in 
their  vandalism.  One  merchant,  by  the  name  of  G.  C.  Kress, 
had  his  safe  bioken  open,  and  twenty  thousand  dollars  in  money, 
with  a  large  supply  of  clothing,  taken  away.  Another  merchant, 
and  well-known  citizen  of  Mississippi,  by  the  name  of  W.  II. 
Stephens,  had  his  store  broken  open  and  nearly  all  the  contents 
taken  away.  In  fact,  every  place  that  they  could  possibly  enter 
without  fear  of  resistance,  was  broken  open  and  robbed  of  what 
was  contained  in  them.  The  enemy  appeared  to  glory  in  their 
course,  and  on  one  occasion,  in  reply  to  a  remonstrance  on  the 
part  of  a  gentleman  <vhose  residence  they  had  broken  open, they 
said,  "  we  have  fought  hard  enough  to  capture  Vicksbnrg,  and 
now  we  have  got  it,  we  intend  to  plunder  every  house  in  the 
d — d  rebel  city." 

As  soon  as  Gen.  Grant  heard  of  the  wholesale  pillage  of  the 
city  that  his  followers  had  commenced,  he  ordered  guards  to  be 
stationed  over  the  town,  and  issued  an  order  prohibiting  any  of 
his  men  from  entering  any  other  residence  than  that  in  which 
they  were  quartered,  and  threatening  to  punish  any  soldier  who 
might  be  caught  in  the  act  of  robbing  citizens  ;  at  the  same 
time  he  gave  no  satisfaction  whatever,  to  those  parties  who  had 
already  suffered  at  the  hands  of  his  army.  Several  applications 
were  made  to  him  for  redress,  but  he  told  the  applicants  he  was 
unable  to  assist  them,  or  give  any  permission  to  have  the  camps 
of  the  men  searched  ;  although,  if  any  of  his  soldiers  were  dis- 
covered with  stolen  property  in  their  posssession,  he  would  have 
if-  returned  to  their  owners,  on  their  proving  it  belonged  to 
tii em.     This  was,  of  course,  but  poor  consolation  to  the  losers 


04  TEE    SIEGE    OP    VIOKSBUBG. 

who  were  necessitated  to  be  satisfied  with  this  answer,  and  sub- 
mit to  their  loss.  *  * 

With  that  enterprise  and  greed  for  gain  which  characterizes 
the  universal  Yankee  nation,  on  the  same  day  that  the  Federal 
army  entered  Yieksburg,  several  places  of  business  were  opened,, 
and  signs  informing  the  public  that  metalic  coffins  wero  on  hand 
to  remove  the  dead  bodies  of  friends,  and  that  express  offices, 
book  and  fruit  stores  were  "  within,"  were  to  bo  seen  upon  sev- 
eral establishments  on  Washington  street. 

Soon  after  the  enemy  entered  the  city,  Mr.  William.  Lum,  a 
w ell-known  citizen  of  Yieksburg,  took  tie  oath  of  allegiance, 
and  General  Grant  made  his  headcpaarters  at  the  residence  of 
this  gentleman.  The  Jewish  portion  of  the  population,  com- 
posed principally  of  Germans,  with  but  one  honorable  exception, 
went  forward  and  received  the  oath  of  allegiance  to  the  United 
States.  The  one  honorable  exception  sacrificed  a  store  of  goods, 
which  cost  him  between  thirty8five  and  forty  thousand  dollars, 
rather  than  remain  under  the  control  of  the  enemy. 

The  conduct  of  the  negroes,  after  the  entrance  of  their  "  lib- 
erators," was  beyond  all  expression.  While  the  Yankee  army 
was  marching  through  the  streets,  crowds  of  them  congregated 
on  the  sidewalks,  with  a  broad  grin  of  satisfaction  on  their  ebony 
countenances.  The  next  day,  which  was  Sunday,  witnessed  a 
sight,  which  would  have  been  ludicrous  had  it  not  galled  our 
soldiers  by  the  reflection  that  they  were  compelled  to  submit  to 
it.  There  was  a  great  turn  out  of  the  u  contrabands,"  dressed 
up  in  the  most  extravagant  style  imaginable,  and  promenading 
through  the  streets,  as  if  Vicksburg  had  been  confiscated  and 
turned  over  them.  In  familiar  conversation  with  the  negro 
wenches,  the  soldiers  of  the  Federal  army  were  seen,  arm-in- 
arm, marching  through  the  streets,  while  the  "  bucks""  congre- 
gated on  the  corners  and  discussed  the  happy  event  that  had 
■ht  them  free1 

$o  arrogant  did  the  negroes  become  after  the  entrance  of  the 
Federal  forces,  that  no  white  Confederate  citizen  or  soldier  dared 
to  speak  to  them,  for  fear  of  being  called  a  rebel,  or  some  other 
abusive  epithet.  One  of  the  Confederate  soldiers,  happening  to 
enter  the  garden  of  the  house  that  the  author  of  this  work  re- 
sided in,  for  tlie  purpose  of  picking  a  peach,  a  negro,  belonging 
to  a  gentleman  of  Yieksburg,  who  had  charge  of  the  garden, 
brought  out  a  gun,  and,  taking  deliberate  aim  at  the  soldier, 
was  about  to  fire.  We  immediately  threw  up  the  gun,  and, 
drawing  a  knife,  threatened  the  negro  if  he  fired  at  the  man ; 
no  sooner  was  the  threat  made,  than  the  negro,  with  an  oath, 
levelled  the  gun  at  us  and  drew  the  trigger ;  luckily  the  cap 
snapped  without  exploding,  and  we  succeeded  in  getting  the 
gun  away  and  discharging  it. 

While  making  these  observations  about  the  negroes,  we  would 
say  that  it  was  confined  to  the  city  negroes  aloae.     The  slaves 


THE    SIEGE    OF    VICK8BUEG.  o5 

brought  in  by  planters,  and  servants  of  soldiers  and  officers,  did 
not  appear  the  least  gratified  at  their  freedom.  The  majority 
of  those  connected  with  our  army  were  very  desirous  of  leav- 
ing with  their  masters,  and  General  Grant  at  first  consented 
that  those  who  desired  it  should  leave  ;  but  as  soon  as  a  few 
passes  were  made  out,  he  revoked  the  order,  and  compelled  the 
balance  to  remain.  These  differences  in  the  conduct  of  city  and 
country  negroes,  should  not  be  a  matter  of  surprise,  when  we 
consider  the  privileges  given  to  the  negroes  in  the  cities  of  the 
South,  and  demands  a  change  of  policy  on  the  part  of  slave- 
owners residing  in  densely  populated  places.  Many  of  the  ne- 
groes, who  were  compelled  to  remain  in  Vicksburg  when  their 
masters  in  the  army  left,  afterwards  made  their  escape,  and  re- 
turned to  the  Confederate  linos. 


CHAPTER  XXXII. 

BOSS   DURING    THE   SIEGE.    NUMBER  OF   CONFEDERATE* 
CAPTURED.    ARMS  AND  AMMUNITION  SURREN- 
DERED.   OPINIONS  OF  THE  ENEMY. 

The  loss  of  the  Confederate  forces  during  the  siege,  is  esti- 
mated by  good  judges  at  a  number  not  exceeding  4,000  in  killed 
and  wounded.  A  number  of  our  casualties  resulted  from  the 
indiscretion  of  the  soldiers  in  exposing  themselves  to  the  ene- 
my's sharpshooters.  The  loss  of  the  enemy  we  would  estimate 
as  follows: 

Attack  on  Shoup's  line,  19th  of  May,     600  killed  and  wounded. 

General  assault  on  the  22d  May 9,000     "  u 

Attack  on  Hebert's  line,  25th  June. .     600     " 

Prisoners  captured 500 

Other  casualties  during  the  siege.. .  .  2,000 

Making  a  total  of 12,700 

This  estimate  we  believe  to  -be  much  beneath  what  it  really 
was,  as  in  our  opinion  the  enemy  lost;  nearly  as  much  as  the 
total,  ou  the  twenty-second  of  May,  for,  taking  the  ratio  of  six 
men  wounded  for  one  killed,  we  find  that  as  many  as  two  thou- 
sand dead  bodies  were  buried  by  the  enemy  on  the  Monday 
following.  This  would  make  their  loss  on  that  day  alone  14,000, 
or  more  than  the  grand  total  we  give  above.  The  assertion  of 
Grant,  in  his  official  report,  that  he  lost  only  8,000  men  during 
the  campaign,  is  ar glaring  falsehood,  as  we  feel  certain  that  on 
-the  day  mentioned  above  he  lost  more  than  he  states  his  casu- 
5 


C6  THE    SIEGE    OF    Y1CK8BUKG. 

alties  to  be  from  the  landing  at  Bruinsburg  to  the  surrenderor 
the  city. 

The  total  amount  of  prisoners  captured  at  Vicksburg  by  the 
enemy  did  not  exceed  twenty-four  thousand,  of  which,  nearly 
six  thousand  were  either  sick  <3r  wounded.  The  following  gen- 
eral officers  were  captured  enant  General  Pemberton  ; 
Major  Generals  M.  L.  Smith,  J.  II.  Forney,  J.  Bowen,  and  C.  L. 
Stephenson.  The  names  of  the  Brigadier  Generals  captured 
were:  Ilebert,  Moore,  Barton,  Lee,  Buford,  Shonp,  Baldwin, 
Vaughn  and  Taylor ;  the  latter  being  Inspector  General  of  the 
army. 

Our  loss  in  small  arms -ami  artilledry  was  about  as  follows  : 

Small  Arms .' 35,000 

Siege  Guns 27 

Field  Artillery. 70 

A  great  many  pieces  of  the  artillery  were  unfit  for  use,  and 
could  have  been  of  no  use  to  the  enemy. 

The  amount  of  ammunition  delivered  over  to  the  Yankee  offi 
cers  was  large,  and  as  near  as  we  could  find  out,  was  as  follows" 

Musket  Cartridges 600,000  rounds. 

Field  Artillery  Cartridges 15,000       " 

Heavy  Artillery  Cartridges 15,000       " 

Percussion  Caps 350,000 

This  estimate  we  believe  very  moderate,  as  it  only  gives  for 
each  man  thirty-five  rounds  of  musket  cartridges,  and  about 
twenty  percussion  caps  each.  We  are  quite  certain  that  a  con- 
siderably larger  amount  of  ammunition  was  surrendered  to  the 
enemy.  This  estimate,  however,  is  made  to  avoid  all  charges 
of  exaggeration. 

Our  line  of  works  was  pronounced  by  the  enemy's  engineer 
officers  to  be  the  most  contemptible  they  had  seen  erected  du- 
ring the  war.  All  expressed  great  astonishment  that,  with  fif- 
teen months  of  time  before  us,  we  had  not  converted  Vicks- 
burg into  an  impregnable  fortress.  They  expressed  themselves 
very  much  deceived  in  the  strength  of  our  works,  as  the  repre- 
sentations of  the  Northern  press,  and  our  own  boasting,  had 
made  them  believe  that  Vicksburg  was  defended  by  well  made 
works,  and  had  .between  two  and*  three  hundred  guns  mounted. 

Our  works  were,  indeed,  the  most  outrageous  ever  made 
during  the  war.  The  supervisors  of  their  construction  could- 
have  known  no  more  about  erecting  fortifications  than  we  do  ;. 
in  fact,  there  was  not  one  engineer  in  the  army  of  Vicksburg 
who  understood  his  profession  thoroughly — they  existed  but  in 
name,  and  the  position  they  held  in  the  Confederate  service. 
The  ground  on  which  the  works  were  erected  was  naturally  a 
strong  one,  and  to  that  advantage  alone  were  we  enabled  to 
hold  the  city  for  so  long  a  time,  otherwise  they  would  have 


THE    SIEGE    OF    VICKSBUKG.  67 

offered  but  little  or  no  impediment  to  the  overwhelming  num- 
bers of  the  enemy  which  were  thrown  on  the  line  in  their  attack 
on  the  twenty-second  of  May. 

After  the  enemy  had  taken  possession  of  Vicksburg,  Major 
General  McPherson  rode  over  the  entire  length  of  the  line,  and 
was  so  impressed  with  the  defective  manner  in  which  they  were 
constructed,  that  he  is  reported  to  have  exclaimed  :  "  Good 
Heavens  !  are  these  the  long-boasted  fortifications  of  Vicksburg? 
It  was  the  rebel*,  and  not  their  works,  that  kept  us  out  of  the 
city."  While  this  was  a  great  compliment  to  the  valor  of  the 
"  rebels,"  it  certainly  expressed  the  greatest  contempt  possible 
for  the  fortifications  surrounding  Vicksburg. 

The  Federal  officers  candidly -gave  the  Confederate  garrison 
the  credit  of  being  as  brave  troops  as  they  ever  saw,  and  more 
than  one  compliment  to  the  heroism  of  our  soldiers  was  paid, 
coupled  with  a  regret  on  the  part  of  the  officers  of  rank,  that 
such  men  should  be  in  arms  against  the  United  States.  Xot  a 
word  was  said  by  the  Yankees  claiming  superiority  in  fighting 
qualities  ;  they  all  acknowledged  that  starvation  had  conquered 
us,  and  not  the  prowess  of  their  arms,  and  during  the  stay  of 
the  garrison  in  Vicksburg,  the  greatest  courtesy  and  considera- 
tion was  shown  to  our  soldiers  by  the  Federal  officers  ;  their 
privates  alone  manifesting  any  desire  to  gloat  over  our  reverse. 


CHAPTER  XXXIII. 

A  WEEK  IN  THE  ENEMY'S  LINES.    PAROLING  THE  GARRI- 
SON.   DEPARTURE  FROM  VICKSBURG. 

The  Confederate  army  remained  in  Vicksburg,  as  prisoners 
of  war,  for  one  week  after  the  surrender,  that  time  being  taken 
to  prepare  the  rolls  of  the  different  commands,  and  parole  the 
men.  During  this  period  many  severe  street  fights  took  place 
between  the  Federal  and  Confederate  soldiers,  in  consequence 
of  the  taunts  and  abuse  of  the  victorious  army.  Several  of  the 
Federal  soldiers  were  severely  beaten,  and  One  or  two  killed. 
In  one  of  these  street  brawls,  a  young  man,  a  citizen  of  Vicks- 
burg, and  volunteer  aid  on  Gen.  Baldwin's  staff,  shot  a  Federal 
soldier  dead  for  using  insulting  language.  He  was  taken  to 
General  Grant's  headquarters,  and  after  a  hearing  released. 

During  the  week  spent  in  the  enemy's  lines,  we  had  several 
opportunities  of  hearing  the  sentiments  of  both  the  officers  and 
soldiers  of  the  Federal  army.  Among  the  officers,  it  was  the 
same  everlasting  cant  about  the  Union,  and  their  determi- 
nation that  it  should  be  restored ;  but  among  the  privates  the 


68  THE    SIEGE    OF    VICKSBURG. 

greed  for  gaiu,  and  the  object  with  which  they  figkt  was  not 
concealed  in  the  slightest  degree.  They  spoke  in  raptures  of 
the  capacity  of  Mississippi's  soil  for  white  labor,  and  declared 
their  intention  to  get  a  grant  of  land  from  the  United  States, 
and  settle  there  after  the  war  is  over.  This  unblushing  decla- 
ration was  accompanied  by  the  assertion  that,  as  the  South  had 
rebelled  against  their  government,  it  was  only  just  that  the  pro- 
perty of  the  people  should  be  divided  among  their  troops.  Such 
remarks  were  the  principal  causes  of  the  street  fights  between 
the  two  armies,  as  the  high  spirit  of  our  soldiers  could  ill  brook 
this  style  of  apportioning  their  homes  and  property  by  the 
enemy. 

By  Friday,  the  10th  of  July,  the  prisoners  having  been  pa- 
roled, orders  were  issued  to  the  different  brigade  commanders 
to  make  preparations  for  marching  the  next  morning,  and  ac- 
cordingly the  troops  were  got  in  readiness  for  their  departure. 

On  Saturday  morning,  at  half-past  eleven  o'clock,  the  Confed- 
erate soldiers  took  up  their  line  of  march.  It  was  a  mournful 
and  harrowing  sight.  The  soldiers  felt  their  disgrace,  and  there 
was  not  one  gallant  heart  in  the  mass  of  men,  that  did  not  feet 
half  bursting  with  sorrow  and  humiliation  at  being  compelled 
to  march  through  the  enemy's  guards  who  were  stationed  on 
both  sides  of  the  road  to  some  distance  beyond  the  entrench- 
ments. But  nothing  could  avert  the  degradation;  so  with 
downcast  looks,  and  countenances  on  which  a  knowledge  of  the 
bitterness  of  their  defeat  could  be  seen  plainly  stamped,  they 
filed  past  the  enemy,  who  gathered  in  large  numbers  to  witness 
their  departure. 

It  was  a  day  never  to  be  forgotten  by  those  who  assisted  in 
the  defense  of  Vicksburg.  So  filled  with  emotion  were  many 
of  our  men,  that  large  tear  drops  could  be.  seen  on  their  weath- 
er-beaten countenances,  and  ever  and  anon  they  would  pause  in 
their  march,  and,  turning  back,  take  one  last  sad  look  at  the 
city  they  had  fought  and  bled  for.  All  felt  that,  serious  as  the 
disaster  was  to  the  Confederate  cause,  it  was  nothing  to  their 
humiliation.  Amid  the  storm  of  shot  and  shell  that  poured 
upon  them,  they  had  remained  cheerful  and  confident ;  but  at 
this  moment  their  hopefulness  had  departed ;  the  yell  of  defi- 
ance that  had  so  often  struck  terror  in  the  hearts  of  their  foe, 
was  not  to  be  heard ;  their  willing  hands  no  longer  grasped  the 
weapons  of  a  good  cause ;  their  standards  trailed  in  the  dust, 
and  they  were  prisoners  of  war.  Silently  and  sadly  they 
marched  on,  and  in  a  few  minutes  Vicksburg  was  lost  to  their 
view. 

Thus  fell  the  city  of  Vicksburg  after  a  defense  of  over  twelve 
months,  and  a  siege  which  lasted  for  forty-seven  days,  forty-two 
of  which  a  garrison  of  not  more  than  twenty-five  thousand  ef- 
fective men  had  subsisted  on  less  than  one-quarter  rations.  The 
Confederate  army  fought  with  a  valor  that  not  even  the  defend- 


THE    SIEGE    OF    VICKSBURG.  69 

ers  of  Saraggossa  and  Mantua  ever  surpassed.  Subject  to  a 
bombardment  of  a  nature  so  terrific  that  its  equal  has  never 
been  known  in  civilized  warfare ;  through  rain  and  sunshine, 
storm  and  calm,  writhing  under  the  pangs  of  starvation,  these 
gallant  Southern  troops,  whose  deeds  will  form  one  of  history's 
brightest  pages  when  the  annals  of  this  siege  shall  become 
known,  stood  up  to  their  post,  and,  with  almost  superhuman 
valor,  repulsed  every  attack  made  by  their  enemy,  and  inflicting 
tremendous  loss  on  him,  until  surrendered  by  the  General  whose 
want  of  ability  and  confidence  in  himself  had  entailed  these  suf- 
ferings and  hardships  on  them. 

It  is  estimated  that  the  number  of  missiles  thrown  in  the  en- 
trenchments, exceeded  thirty  thousand  daily ;  and  by  the  offi- 
cial report  of  General  Grant's  Chief  of  Artillery,  it  would  ap- 
pear that  twenty  millions  three  hundred  and  seventy  thousand 
one  hundred  and  twenty-two  missiles  of  all  kinds  were  thrown 
in  the  works,  which  would  make  it,  by  calculation,  over  four 
hundred  thousand  missiles,  including  small  arm  ammunition, 
daily  thrown.  This,  however,  must  be  an  exaggeration,  unless 
Grant's  Chief  of  Artillery  included  the  number  of  rounds  of 
small  arms  used  in  the  different  battles  prior  to  the  investment 
of  Vicksburg,  which  lasted  only  forty-seven  days.  He,  how- 
ever, gives  the  number  as  having  been  fired  into  the  city,  which, 
if  correct,  would  only  show  the  gigantic  nature  of  the  bom- 
bardment. The  number  of  shots  from  artillery  are  averaged,  by 
the  Chief  of  Artillery  for  Grant's  army,  at  32,617  per  day  ;  but 
then  he  only  gives  142,912  rounds  as  having  been  fired  during 
the  entire  siege.  It  is  very  likely  that  an  error  exists  in  the 
last  estimators  more  than  that  number  was  fired.  We  are  ra- 
ther inclined  to  think  the  number  should  have  been  1,420,912, 
as  that  would  bring  it  nearer  to  his  daily  estimate. 

We  cannot  closethis  chapter  without  passing  a  just  compli- 
ment to  the  Surgeons  attached  to  the  garrison  of  Vicksburg. 
Although  they  were  from  morning  to  night  engaged  in  their 
duties  to  the  soldiers,  they  were  always  found  administering  to 
the  sick  and  wounded  non-combatants  of  the  city.  Among  the 
many,  we  must  mention  Dr.  E.  McD.  Coffey,  Chief  Surgeon  of 
Bowen's  division,  who  was  unremitting  in  his  attentions  to  this 
class  of  sufferers,  and  always  had  several  sick  and  wounded  wo- 
men and  children  under  his  charge.  To  this  gentleman  we 
were  indebted  for  an  introduction  to  Major  General  McPher- 
son,  who  is,  without  doubt,  the  only  real  gentleman  among  the 
Federal  Generals  to  whom  we  were  introduced.  He  was  very 
polite,  never  using  the  epithet  "rebel"  in  the  presence  of  our 
officers  or  soldiers,  and  avoided,  as  much  as  possible,  any  ex- 
pression of  exultation  at  the  fall  of  Vicksburg  when  in  our 
company. 

Before  bringing  this  chapter  to  a  close,  we  would  endeavor 
to  remove  til  ir  people,  that  Vicksburg  was 


70  THE    SIEGE    OF    VICKSBURG. 

surrendered  after  a  feeble  defense.     The  city  was  defended  as 
desperately  as  could  be  required.     The  only  thing  to  be  said  is, 
that  had  proper  generalship  been  displayed,  there  would  have 
been  no  necessity  to  use  the  works  surrounding  Vicksburg. 
After  we  were  invested,  the  defense  of  Vicksburg  commenced, 
and  though  the  city  is  now  in  the  hands  of  the  enemy,  it  has 
brought  him  no  honor  in  its  capture,  nor  added  a  single  laurel 
to  his  wreath  of  victory.     Starvation  succeeded  in  doing  what 
the  prowess  of  their  arms  could  never  have  performed.     The 
result  was  a  reverse  to  the  Confederate  arms  ;  but  when  future 
generations  shall  speak  of  this  war,  the  deeds  of  the  gallant 
men  who  defended  the  city,  will  be  extolled  among  the  most  he- 
roic feats  of  the  war,  and  the  descendants  of  those  who  fought 
behind  the  entrenchments  of  Vicksburg,  will  be  proud  of  the 
knowledge  that  their  fathers  aided  in  its  defense.     All  honor  to 
their  unswerving  patriots !     Nobly  did  they  sustain  the  honor  of 
their  country,  and  the  glory  of  their  past  deeds ;  and,  falling  as 
they  did,  the  historian  of  this  war  will   declare  that,  in   their 
fall  as  much  honor  was  gained  as  if  they  had  triumphed  in  their 
defense. 


•     CHAPTER   XXXXY. 

REVIEW  OF  THE  CAMPAIGN,  FROM  THE  LANDING  OF  THE 
ENEMY  TO  THE  SURRENDER  OF  VICKSBURG. 

When  writers  far  away  from  the  scene  of  military  operations 
attempt  to  censure  the  actions  of  military  men,  particularly  if 
not  well  acquainted  with  the  facts  attending  such  operations, 
the  voice  of  censure  should  be  raised  in  condemnation  of  such 
a  course ;  but  when  the  case  is  reversed,  and  the  writer  is  pres- 
ent, and  witnesses  the  short-coinings  and  errors  of  a  General,  it 
is  a  great  foliy  to  charge  him  with  giving  to  the  public  opin- 
ions of  the  incompetency  of  Generals,  because  he  happens  not 
to  be  a  military-educated  man,  or  to  hold  no  position  in  the 
army.  It  doe3  not  require  military  talent  to  decide  whether  or 
not  a  General  is  competent ;  common  sense  and  a  sound  judg- 
ment, seasoned  or  strengthened  by  the  opinions  of  other  and 
better  informed  men,  are  all  that  is  needed  to  make  those  ideas 
not  only  able,  but  in  reality  truthful  and  correct. 

It  is  with  these  opinions  that  we  venture  to  publish  this  re- 
view of  General  Pemberton's  campaign,  from  the  landing  of 
the  enemy  at  Bruinsburg  to  the  surrender  of  Vicksburg.  Many 
of  the  comments  and  criticisms  made  in  these  pages,  are  the  re- 
sult of  strict  observation  before  the  investment ;  and  fears  of 
what  wo  deemed  errors  and  signs  -of  incompetency  on  the  part 


THE    SIEGE    OF    VI€KSBTTBG.  71 

of  Lieutenant  General  Pernberton,  were  expressed  by  us  in  pri- 
vate conversation,  some  weeks  before  the  enemy  had  lauded. 
Wo  had,  however,  determined  not  to  make  thum  public,  until 
they  could  be  confirmed  by  men  of  well  known  military  talent, 
and  high  position  in  the  Confederate  army.  Circumstances 
having  favored  our  wishes,  special  pains  were  taken  to' observe 
and  note  down  all  the  sentiments  expressed  by  those  who,  from 
their  standing  in  the  army,  are  quite  capable  of  judging  and  of 
forming  correct  ideas. 

We  were  not  present  in  every  engagement  which  we  relate  ; 
but  all  the  accounts  given  in  this  work  were  received  from 
General  officers  who  were  present,  and  to  whose  information 
we  attach  importance,  as  they  emanate  from  soldiers  of  great 
ability  and  valor.  We  found,  in  conversation  with  many  dis- 
tinguished officers,  that  their  ideas  were  identical  to  ours,  and, 
strengthened  by  their  sentiment?,  we  give  to  the  public  the 
criticisms  and  comments  to  be  found  in  the  following  chapters. 


CHAPTER  XXXV. 

THE  ERROR  IN  NOT  MASSING  OUR  ARMY  AT  GRAND  GULF. 

As  soon  as  the  enemy's  fleet  had  passed  our  batteries  at 
Vicksburg,  it  became  apparent  that  the  first  point  attacked 
would  be  Grand  Gulf.  The  garrison  at  that  place  consisted  of 
two  small  brigades  of  Missouri  and  Arkansas  troops  under  Gen. 
Bo  wen,  with  the  brigades  of  Col.  Reynolds,  of  Stephenson's  di- 
vision, and  Brigadier  General  Baldwin's,  of  Smith's,  in  "FMs- 
hurg  as  a  reinforcing  column.  The  total  number  of  men  in  this 
force,  when  combined,  could  not  have  been  seven  thousand  ef- 
fective men.  On  the  30th  of  April,  the  enemy  landed  at  Bru- 
insburg  unopposed,  and  was  allowed,  from  want  of  troops  to 
oppose  him,  to  march  to  Port  Gibson,  where  he  met  General 
Bowen. 

Here  it  was,  in  the  opinion  of  military  men,  that  Lieutenant 
General  Pemberton  committed  an  error  in  not  massing  his  en- 
tire army  at  Grand  Gulf,  as  soon  as  the  enemy's  licet  had  passed 
our  batteries.  From  the  nature  of  the  country  around  Bruins- 
burg,  artillery  and  sharpshooters  posted  along  the  banks  of  the 
river  would  have  effectually  prevented  the  Federal  army  from 
landing  at  that  point,  and  had  they  ventured  to  land  lower  down 
in  the  vicinity  of  Rodney,  and  marched  through  the  country  by 
of  Tabor's  Creek  to  Bayou  Pierre  for  the  purpose  of  getting  in 
oar  rear,  the  forces  under  General  Johnston,  at  Jackson,  Mi* 
sippi,  could  have  been  thrown  rapidly  from  Clinton  to   Utica, 


72  THE    SIEGE    VF    VIGKSBUEG.  . 

Mississippi,  and,  crossing  below  where  Bayou  Pierre  branches 
off  in  two  bodies,  have  hemmed  in  the  enemy  between  them, 
and  our  forces' at  Grand  Gulf.  There  would  then  have  been 
but  twe  alternatives  left  for  the  enemy :  either  to  fall  back  in 
haste  to  Rodney,  or  fight  a  battle  under  such  disadvantages 
that  victory  would  almost  have  been  a  certain  result  to  the 
Confederate  army. 

The  enemy's  entire  force  at  that  point  did  not  number  more 
than  forty  or  fifty  thousand  men,  while  our  army,  under  Lieu- 
tenant General  Pemberton,  was  about  twenty-live  thousand, 
which,  with  an  addition  of  ten  thousand  men,  the  estimated 
strength  of  General  Johnston's  army,  from  Jackson  would  have 
reduced  the  disparity  of  numbers  sufficiently  to  give  us  strong 
hopes  of  victory.  We  comment,  in  this  way,  from  the  fact, 
that  if  General  Bowen,  with  only  seven  thousand  men,  could 
have  held  in  check  the  enemy's  entire  force  for  over  twenty-four 
hours,  we  think  it  but  reasonable  to  suppose  that  our  army, 
when  five  times  as  strong,  could  have  defeated  him. 

These,  however,  are  but  speculations,  and  granting,  from  our 
limited  military  experience,  that  the  ideas  given  above  are  not 
feasible,  what  prevented  Lieut.  Gen.  Pemberton  from  throwing 
his  entire  force  on  the  enemy  at  Port  Gibson,  and  crushing  him 
before  any  more  troops  could  have  been  brought  across  the 
river  ?  The  enemy  had  but  a  limited  number  of  transports,  and 
the  time  it  would  have  required  to  convey  troops  across  the 
river  to  reinforce  their  army,  would  have  been  amply  sufficient 
for  our  forces  to  have  inflicted  a  severe  defeat  upon  the  enemy, 
from  which  he  could  not  have  recovered. 

The  defenders  and  apologists  of  General  Pemberton's  move- 
ments, while  acknowledging  that  the  best  course  would  have 
been  to  mass  our  army  at  Grand  Gulf,  assert  that  he  was.  pre- 
vented from  so  doing  by  the  conflicting  opinions  of  his  Major 
Generals.  It  is  said  by  them  that  General  Pemberton's  desire 
was  to  fight  the  battle  of  Vicksburg  at  Grand  Gulf,  but  that 
Major  General  Stephenson  gave  it  as  his  opinion,  that  the  ene- 
my would  attack  the  city  in  front;  Major  General  Forney  had 
an  idea  that  Snyder's  Bluff  would  be  the  point  of  attack,  and 
Major  General  Smith  expected  the  enemy  to  land  and  attempt 
the  storming  of  the  works  at  Chickasaw  Bayou.  Lieutenant 
General  Pemberton,  it  is  said,  did  not  share  these  opinions,  but 
from  an  apprehension,  if  disaster  should  follow  his  removing 
the  troops  from  Vicksburg,  by  an  attack  of  the  enemy  on  the 
points  above  named,  it  would  be  said  that  he  disregarded  the 
opinions  of  his  subordinates  and  brought  on  the  evil,  he  yielded 
to  them,  and  suffered  General  Bowen  to  be  overpowered  at  Port 
Gibson,  and  through  weakness  in  numbers,  and  fears  of  being 
surrounded,  to  destroy  the  works  at  Grand  Gulf  and  evacuate 
the  place,  thus  leaving  a  path  open  to  the  enemy  through  the 
State  of  Mississippi. 


THE    SIEGE    OF    VICKSBURG.  73 

Whether  this  defense  be  a  truthful  statement  of  facts,  we 
cannot  tell,  and  will  not  venture  to  vouch  for  it,  but  we  give  it 
so  that  Lieutenant  General  Pemberton  shall  have  the  benefit  of 
all  the  argument  and  assertions  brought  forward  in  his  favor. 
If,  however,  this  defense  is  true,  we  see  no  way  in  which  it  can 
aid  in  removing  the  responsibility  off  Gen.  Pemberton's  shoul- 
ders i  on  the  contrary,  it  shows  a  weakness  and  want  of  confi- 
dence in  himself,  which  would  alone  be  proof  enough  of  his  in- 
competency to  command  a  department  of  such  magnitude  and 
importance  as  the  one  he  was  in  control  of. 

The  statement  is,  that  General  Pemberton  was  in  favor  of 
reinforcing  Gen.  Bowen,  but  was  overruled  in  so  doing  by  the 
representations  of  his  Major  Generals,  who  entertained  opinions 
which  lie  did  not  share.  The  question  is  then  natural,  when  we 
ask:  who  was  the  commander  of  the  army  at  Vicksburg?  If 
General  Pemberton  had  ordered  either  of  his  subordinate  Gen- 
erals to  march  their  divisions,  or  part  of  their  divisions,  to  Grand 
Gulf,  they  could  not  have  disobeyed  the  command,  but  would 
have  reinforced  Bowen  according  to  the  orders  received.  But 
granting  that  this  story  is  not  true,  and  we  have  grave  doubts 
of  its  reliability,  it  would  seem  that  some  one  was  at  fault  in 
allowing  the  other  divisions  of  our  army  to  remain  in  idleness 
at  Vicksburg,  while  Bowen,  with  only  seven  thousand  men,  was 
giving  battle  at  Port  Gibson  to  a  Yankee  army  forty  thousand 
strong. 

It  has  been  also  said,  in  defense  of  Lieutenant  General  Pem- 
berton, that  the  enemy  were  making  feints  upon  his  position  at 
Chickasaw  Bayou  and  Snyder's  Bluff,  and  had  he  reduced  his 
forces  they  would  have  known  it,  from  the  numerous  spies  they 
had  in  Vicksburg.  Granting  all  this  argument,  we  see  no  rea- 
son why  General  Pemberton  could  not  have  learned  by  the  same 
source  as  they  derived  their  information  of  the  strength  of  our 
army,  that  the  movements  made  by  the  enemy,  were  mere  feints, 
which  amounted  to  nothing,  as  they  had  not  sufficient  men  to 
make  an  attack. 

In  addition  to  all  this  mass  of  argument,  it  was  well  known 
that  the  whole  Federal  army  was  massing  near  ISt.  Joseph, 
Louisiana.  Gen.  Pemberton  had,  then,  but  one  of  two  courses 
to  pursue:  either  to  prevent  their  landing  at  Bruinsburg,  or 
massing  his  army  2t  Grand  Gulf,  and  giving  battle  as  soon  as 
they  landed.  It  is  absurd  to  suppose  that  General  Grant,  after 
landing  his  army,  would  have  avoided  a  battle,  and  marched  on 
Jackson  or  Clinton,  with  the  knowledge  that  a  Confederate 
force  of  nearly  thirty  thousand  of  the  finest  fighting  men 
in  the  world,  could,  as  soon  as  he  attempted  such  a  move, 
have  been  hurled  upon  his  left  flank  and  rear.  "We  there- 
fore concur  in  the  opinion  of  not  less  than  seven  of  Gen. 
Pemberton's  subordinate  Generals,  that  a  grave  error  was  com- 
mitted in  not  massing  our  army  at  Grand  Gulf,  and  fighting  the 
battle  of  Viteksbvirg  at  that  point. 


THE    SIEGE    OF    VICKSBURG. 


CHAPTER   XXXVI. 


THE  ERROR  IN  REMAINING  ON  THE  WEST  BANK  OF  THE 
BIG  BLACK. 

After  the  battle  of  Port  Gibson,  and  evacuation  Of  Grand 
Gulf  by  General  Bowen,  the  Confederate  army  fell  back  to  the 
West  bank  of  the  Big  Black,  in  the  vicinity  of  Bovina,  Missis- 
sippi, while  detachments  from  it  were  engaged  in  watching  the 
different  fords  on  the  river.  All  the  troops  on  the  east  bank  of 
the  Big  Black  were  posted  on  the  railroad,  as  far  as  Edward's 
Depot,  about  twenty  miles  from  Vicksburg.  The  strength  of 
our  army  at  that  time  could  not  have  been  less  than  from  twenty- 
three  to  twenty-six  thousand  men,  well  armed  and  equipped, 
and  supported  by  at  least  sixty  pieces  of  light  artillery. 

While  our  army  was  remaining  on  the  west  bank  of  the  Big- 
Black,  the  Federal  forces  were  marching  through  the  State  by 
way  of  Cayuga,  Raymond  and  Clinton,  with  the  intention  of 
driving  Johnston  across  Pearl  river,.and  thus  removing  the  chance 
of  his  rear  being  exposed  when  he  marched  on  Vicksburg.  In 
making  this  movement,  he  detached  a  small  portion  of  his  troops 
for  the  purpose  of  making  a  feint  on  General  Pemberton' s  forces, 
and  keeping  him  on  the  west  bank  of  the  Big  Black.  Here  it 
.was,  that  Lieutenant  General  Pemberton  again  allowed  himself 
to  be  deceived,  and  no  measures  were  taken  to  follow  the  enemy, 
whose  rear  and  flank  were  now  exposed  to  our  forces.  The 
question  at  issue  is,  whether  General  Pemberton  was  aware  of 
Grant's  marching  on  Jackson,  Mississippi,  or  was  he  ignorant  of 
the  fact.  If  he  was  aware  of  it,  we  see  no  way  in  which  he 
can  defend  himself  from  the  charge  of  displaying  a  want  of 
generalship  in  not  pursuing  the  advantage  opened  to  him,  and 
attacking  the  enemy.  It  is  said,  in  defense  of  this  apathy  dis- 
played by  the  Lieutenant  General,  that  he  was  opposed  to  cross- 
ing the  river,  his  plan  being  to  wait  until  the  enemy  had  pene- 
trated the  State,  when  he  would  inarch  forward  and  cut  him  off 
from  the  river,  and  thus  either  compel  them  to  fight  under  great 
disadvantage,  or  starve  from  want  of  provisions.  This  idea  is 
not  feasible,  for  two  reasons :  First,  because,  as  soon  as  Grand 
Gulf  fell,  Vicksburg  became  our  base  of  operations,  which  re- 
quired that  the  rear  of  our  army  should  always  be  directed  to 
the  city.  By  making  the  move  his  defenders  claim  he  contem- 
plated, General  Pemberton  would  have  had  the  rear  of  his  army 
to  the  Mississippi  river,  and  liable  to  attack  at  any  moment  by 
reinforcements  crossing  to  succor  Grant,  besides  which  Vicks- 
burg would  have  been  left  exposed,  and  the  enemy  by  rapidly 
marching  would  have  been  able  to  reach  the  city  before  we 
could,  our  army  not  being  large  enough  to  be  divided  so  as  to 
defend  Vicksburg  at  the  same  time  that  this  move  was  being 


THE    SIEGE    OF    YICKSBURG.  15 

made;  and  secondly,  the  idea  of  starving  out  the  enemy  was 
not  feasible,  as  we  have  General  Grant's  official  report  to  certify 
that  his  entire  army  subsisted  on  the  country  for  eight  days, 
and  found  a  plenty  of  food  wherever  they  went. 

It  is  our  opinion  that  General  Pemberton  was  not  aware  of 
the  enemy's  marching  toward  Jackson,  and  this  opinion  is  shared 
with  us  by  officers  of  high  rank.  If  this  opinion  is  correct,  we 
are  at  a  loss  to  understand  how  a  General  commanding  an  army 
can  remain  ignorant  of  the  movements  of  his  adversary,  unless 
he  is  incompetent.  Did  not  General  Pemberton  have  his  spies  ? 
Or,  why  did  be  not  have  them  ?  The  country  through  which 
the  enemy  marched  is  the  most  patriotic  portion  of  the  Confed- 
eracy, and  the  citizens  would  have  gladly  given  all  the  informa- 
tion they  had  of  the  whereabouts  of  the  enemy. 

What  excuse  can  General  Pemberton  give  for  permitting 
Grant  to  march  unmolested  from  Grand  Gulf  to  Clinton  ?  Wo 
see  none.  This  alone  would  be  sufficient  to  prove  him  incom- 
petent to  command  an  army  like  the  one  he  had  control  of 
Vicksburg.  In  no  other  instance,  during  this  war,  has  such 
short  sighted  Generalship  been  displayed,  and  we  cannot  but 
attribute  it  to  a  want  of  military  talent.  Common  sense — com- 
mon reason,  should  convince  those  desirous  of  shielding  Gen. 
Pemberton  from  censure,  that  he  was  out-gen eraled,  not  by 
General  Grant's  military  superiority,  but  by  his  own  lack  of 
ability. 

It  is  an  acknowledged  fact,  that  the  division  and  brigade 
commanders  almost  unanimously  favored  an  advance  of  our 
forces  on  the  enemy,  but  that  General  Pemberton  opposed  it, 
until  ordered  to  do  so  by  General  J.  E.  Johnston.  This  state- 
ment is  brought  forward  in  defense  of  General  Pemberton,  and 
as  an  apology  tor  the  loss  of  the  battle  of  Baker's  Creek.  We 
then  see,  in^this  assertion,  the  whole  facts  of  the  case  laid  bare. 
The  Lieutenant  General  opposed  marching  on  the  enemy. — 
Why  did  he  oppose  it?  Because  he  was  nut  aware  that  the 
enemy's  rear  was  exposed  to  him,  must  be  the  natural  inference 
drawn  from  his  action. 

Had  our  army  followed  Grant  toward  Clinton,  we  would 
have  compelled  him  to  turn  back  and  give  bottle*,  which  move- 
ment would  have  oxposed  his  rear  to  Johnston,  and  no  one 
imagines  for  a  moment  that  Gen.  Jos.  E.  Johnston  wonld  have 
failed  to  avail  himself  of  the  opportunity  offered,  and  attacked 
with  what  force  he  had.  But  this  was  not  done  ;  our  army  re- 
mained on  the  Big  Black  in  idleness,  while  the  enemy  wore 
marching  on  Johnston,  and  General  Pemberton  failed  to  do  his 
duty,  until  ordered  by  General  Johnston,  in  an  official  dispatch^ 
which  was  intercepted  by  the  enemy,  who  availed  themselves  ot 
its  contents,  and  succeeded  in  defeating  General  Pemberton, 
after  a  battle  long  and  gallantly  contested,  not  through  any 
Generalship  on  his  part,  but  through  the  indomitable  valor  of 
our  soldiers. 


TOE    SIEGE    OF    VICKSBURG. 


CHAPTER  XXXVII. 


THE   BATTLE  OF  BAKER'S  CREEK— MAJOR  GENERAL  LOR- 
ING'S ACTION  IN  IT-FALSE  CHARGES  AGAINST  HIM. 

It  lias  Leon  charged  by  the  friends  of  General  Pemberton, 
that  but  for  the  unaccountable  absence  of  General  Loring's  di- 
vision, the  battle  of  Baker's  Creek  would  have  been  won.  We 
shall  now  see  in  what  way  this  charge  is  true.  Major  General 
Loring's  division  came  into  action  after  Stephenson's  division 
had  lost  nearly  all  its  artillery,  and  as  soon  as  it  became  engaged 
was  subject  to  the  same  terrible  fire  as  Stephenson's  had  been  ; 
at  the  same  time  Stephenson's  division,  after  fighting  gallantly 
for  some  time  without  any  artillery,  was  compelled  to  fall  back 
from  the  overpowering  numbers  of  the  enemy,  thus  leaving 
Loring's  flank  exposed.  What  was  then  to  be  done  ?  If  Gen. 
Loring  had  made  a  stand  and  continued  fighting,  it  would  have 
been  to  have  his  division  cut  to  pieces  and  captured,  while  to 
retreat  to  Vicksburg  he  knew  full  well  would  only  hasten  the 
downfall  of  the  «ity. 

With  the  capture  of  his  artillery,  and  the  breaking  of  Ste- 
phenson's division,  the  battle  of  Baker's  Creek  was  irrevocably 
lost.  This  is  the  opinion  of  nearly  all  the  ofiicers  who  were  ia 
that  battle,  and  from  them  have  we  derived  ours.  Nothing  but 
the  most  desperate  fighting  on  the  part  of  General  Bo  wen's 
division,  and  what  of  Stephenson's  division  remained  together, 
saved  our  entire  army  from  being  captured.  The  enemy  had 
already  flanked  us,  and  were  marching  rapidly  upon  our  rear 
when  he  was  checked  by  Bowen,  and  the  army  saved. 

It  was  with  the  knowledge  of  this  fact,  that  General  Loring 
decided  upon  cutting  his  way  through,  knowing  that  he  could 
better  serve  the  country  by  so  doing,  than  by  being  penned  up 
in  Vicksburg,  where  his  division  would  be  only  so  "much  more 
to  feed.  Accordingly  his  men  were  all  safely  drawn  off  the 
battle-field,  by  one  of  the  most  brilliant  movements  of  this  war, 
and  marched  to  Jackson. 

Not  the  slightest  responsibility  can  be  made  to  rest  on  Major 
General  Loring  for  the  loss  of  the  battle  of  Baker's  Creek.  So 
little  was  he  blamed  by  the  remainder  of  the  Generals  and  the 
other  officers,  that  it  was  universally  believed  .that  if  he  had 
been  in  command  of  our  army,  the  enemy  would  have  been 
defeated,  and  a  victory  instead  of  a  disaster,  been  chronicled 
for  the  South  in  the  history  of  this  war.  We  see  nothing  that 
General  Loring  performed  on  that  battle-field,  which  should 
make  him  responsible  for  its  loss,  and  we  believe  the  same  opin- 
ion is. held  by  the  officers  arid  men  of  the  garrison  of  Vicksburg. 
Those  parties  who  are  now  safe  in  the  Confederate  lines,  trying 
to  cast  the  blame  on  a  '  gallant  and  tried  veteran,  should  recol- 


THE    SIEGE    OF    VICKSBUBG 


lect  that  by  General  Loring's  foresight  and  ability,  his  division 
of  several  thousand  men,  instead  of  being  prisoners  of  war,  is 
now  in  Mississippi,  standing  as  a  barrier  to  the  advance  of  the 
enemy,  and  ready,  mnder  their  leader,  to  fight  as  well  as  tney 
have  always  done  before. 


CHAPTER  XXXVIII. 
OUR  WORKS  ON  THE  BIG  BLACK  RIVER. 

After  our  defeat  at  Baker's  Creek,  the  Confederate  army  fell 
back  to  a  series  of  works  erected  on  the  east  of  the  Big  Black 
river  and  were  afterwards  driven  from  them  on  the  day  follow- 
ing '  It  is  said  that  the  object  of  these  works  was  to  defend  the 
bridges  across  the  river,  and  to  prevent  Snyder's  Bluff  from 
beinS  flanked.  We  do  not  believe  that  such  was  the  idea,  but 
rather  think  the  intention  was  to  make  it  a  line  of  delense  in 
the  event  of  defeat.  Before  making  any  comments  on  what  is 
generally  deemed  an  error  in  our  choosing  this  side  of  the  river 
as  a  line  of  defense,  we  will  endeavor  to  give  a  description  oi 
of  the  country,  and  its  surrounding  Jeat ares,  on  both  sides  ot 
the  Big  Black. 

The  east  bank  of  the  river  is  a  level  and  almost  open  country, 
extending  for  miles.  It  is  true  that  it  is  cut  up  by  creeks,  and 
a  portion  of  the  laud  is  swampy,  but  these  offered  but  little 
impediment  for  an  army  to  attack  the  line  of  works,  which  was 
thrown  up  on  this  side  of  the  river,  as  was  illustrated  by  the 
easy  march  of  the  enemy  on  the  intrenchments,  and  their  cap- 
ture by  them.  .  . 

The  icest  bank  of  the  river  rises  to  an  almost  precipitate  height, 
overlooking  the  east  shore,  and  forming  a  succession  ot  lofty 
cliffs.  The  natural  strength  of  this  side  offered  the  greatest 
inducements  and  the  best  advantages  for  a  line  of  delense  as 
we  will  endeavor  to  show  in  our  comments  on  the  works  that 
were  erected  on  the  opposite  shore.  «,,«,.  a 

As  soon  as  our  army  was  defeated  at  Baker's  Creek,  instead 
of  falling  back  to  the  intrenchments  on  the  east  shore. of  the 
river,  had  they  crossed  the  bridge  and  burned  it  after  them, 
they  would  then  have  placed  the  river  between  the  Confederate 
army  and  the  enemy.  After  crossing,  the  bluffs  could  have  been 
lined  with  what  artillerv  remained  uncaptured,  and  the  enemy 
could  never  have  crossed  under  the  raking  fire  which  would  have 
been  kept  up  on  the  opposite  shore  below  them. 

By  holding  this  position  for  two  or  three  days,  we  would 
have  been  enabled  to  remove  all  the  provisions  from  the  adjacent 
plantations,  and  taken  them  into  Vicksburg,  thus  supplying  the 


78  THE    SIEGE    OF    VICXSBUEG. 

garrison  with  sufficient  food  to  List  tliem  at  least  three  months 
lull  rations.  It  may  be  said  that  the  enemy  could  have  crossed 
the  river,  either  above  or  below  our  position,  and  thus  flanked 
us';  but  it  must  be  apparent  that  for  them  to  have  made  such  a 
move  would  have  taken  at  least  three  days,  by  which  time  the 
object  with  which  the  position  was  held  would  have  been  gained, 
and  our  army  could  then  have  fallen  back  to  Vicksburg.  Had 
we  succeeded  in  holding  the  works  erected  on  the  east  bank  of 
the  Big  Black,  our  position  would  have  been  much  worse,  as 
the  enemy  could  have,  with  greater  ease,  crossed  the  river  from 
the  east  to  the  west  than  otherwise,  and  thus  have  cut  us  off 
from  Vicksburg,  and  also  capturing  the  city  without  any  resis- 
tance whatever. 

t  It  has  been  said  by  parties  desirous  of  defending  Lieutenant 
General  Pemberton,  that  it  was  never  his  intention  to  make  the 
wTorks  on  the  east  bank  of  the  Big  Black  a  line  of  defense ;  his 
object  in  attempting  to  hold  the  works  being  only  for  the  pur- 
pose of  gaining  time,  to  make  a  safe  retreat  into  Vicksburg.  If 
such  is  the  case,  we  quote  the  opinion  of  a  prominent  officer  of 
the  garrison  in  saying,  that  the  idea  was  a  most  absurd  one,  as 
common  sense  should  show  that  to  gain  time  for  our  men  to  fall 
back  to  Vicksburg,  a  river  between  them  and^the  enemy  would 
have  been  an  aid  instead  of  an  obstacle. 

With  what  object  then  were  the  works  on  Big  Black  erected? 
We  have  seen  no  official  report  of  General  Pemberton,  but  must 
certainly  say,  that  to  our  limited  military  experience,  the  idea  of 
making  a  line  of  defense  at  that  point,  or  using  the  works  for 
the  purpose  of  gaining  time  for  our  army  to  fall  back  in  the 
event  of  defeat,  is  something  new  in  the  annals  of  this  war, 
and  a  species  of  generalship  that  no  other  commander  in  the 
service  has  yet  displayed. 


CHAPTER,  XXXIX. 

THE  NEGLECT  TO  PROVISION  VICKSBURG. 

The  neglect  to  provision  Vicksburg  with  a  supply  of  food 
large  enough  to  supply  the  garrison  for  a  siege  of  six  months, 
is  too  glaring  an  error  to  need  much  comment  on.  Suffice  it  to 
say  that  provisions  could  easily  have  been  obtained,  had  those 
officials,  whose  duty  it  was  to  procure  subsistence,  attended  to 
their  business,  and  not  depended  solely  on  what  could  be  found 
on  the  railroads,  or  impressed  from  the  farmers,  who  chanced  to 
be  at  convenient  distances  from  Vicksburg  or  Jackson. 

While  censuring  these  subordinate  officers,  we  insist  that 
equal  blame  must  be  attached  to  the  Commanding  General  - '' 
the  department.     It  is  said  that  Lieutenant  General  Pembey/,    ' 


THE    SIEGE    OF    VICKSBUEG. 

always  believed  a  large  supply  of  food  was  s 
Vicksliurg,     Believed!     Let  us  quote  what  the  I 
tions  say  in  relation  to  the  duties  of  Generals  co-  f 
tified  plac  tion  818  is  worded  as  follows: 

*     *     ::     *     *     *     *     "He  (referring  to  the 
man  lies  the  worts,  and  the  exterior  \?itm. 

of  attack  and  investment,  the  strength  of  the  garn 
tillery,  the  munitions   of  war,  subsistence  and  siqy}  I 
J:inds,  and  takes  immediate  measures  to  procure  ichu 
ficient."     • 

Vfe  shall  now  ask:  in  what  manner  did  the  Lieutena. 
oral  commanding  the  department  of  Mississippi  and  East  Lou. 
iana  perform  the  duties,  not  left  for  his  judgment  to  find  out, 
but  actually  laid  down  in  the  Army  Regulations?  All  asser- 
tions that  provisions  could  not  be  obtained  are  utterly  false  ;  it 
is  well  known,  by  all  who  were  in  Vicksburg,  that  numerous 
offers  were  made  by  the  planters  on  the  Mississippi  river  above 
the  city,  iu  the  Fall  of  1862,  when  boats  were  running  up  the 
Yazoo  river,  to  give  the  Government  all  their  crops,  which  were 
lying  exposed  to  the  enemy,  if  the  officials  would  send  for  them. 
It  is  also  well  known  that  the  planters  of  the  Yazoo  district  of- 
fered their  crops  free  of  charge,  and  yet  no  step  was  made  to 
accept  the  gift  so  patriotically  tendered. 

A  correspondent  of  the  Richmond  Sentinel,  in  an  article  de- 
fending Lieutenant  General  Pemberton,  claims  that  it  never  was 
intended  to  stand  a  siege  of  an  indefinite  length  of  time.  "We 
see  no  reason  for  this  assertion.  Sieges  have  been  known  to 
last  for  years,  and  in  the  same  way  could  Vicksburg  have  been 
held.  It  is  further  claimed,  that  the  garrison  did  not  surrender 
from  want  of  food,  but  from  weakness.  "We  now  ask :  what 
caused  their  weakness?  "Was  it  not  the  want  of  food?  Had 
the  men  been  well  supplied  with  rations,  they  would  have  been 
almost  as  strong  on  the  forty-seventh  day  as  they  were  on  the 
first.  It  was,  therefore,  from  starvation,  and  nothing  else,  that 
they  surrendered. 


CHAPTER  XL. 

CONCLUSION. 

In  concluding  this  work,  we  must  disclaim  having  censuied 
jreneral  Pemberton  from  any  feeling  of  prejudice  against  tha*t 
officer.     Had  the  Court  of  Inquiry  been  held,  as  it  was  intend- 
ed, this  book  would  never  have  been  published,  as  the  true 
unt  of  the  operations  in  the  Department  of  Mississippi  and 
Louisiana  would  have  been  given  to  the  people,  and  a  book 
Uvre  would  not  have  been  necessary. 


THE    SIEGE    OF    VICKSBURG. 

of  General  Peniberton's  inability  to  meet  suc- 
it  movements,  which  resulted  in  the  downfall  of 
-i  formed  some  time  before  the  investment,  on 
of  proper  energy  in  transacting  the  military 
id  Vicksburg.     This  war  has  developed  two 
rals.     One  class  is  of  opinion  that  positions  on 
m  if  well  fortified,  must  always  be  taken,  where 
ossess  a  fleet  and  control  such  waters ;  while  the 
ooking  back  to  the  history  of  past  warfare,  are  of 
w  opinion.     Of  the  former  class  belong  Lieutenant 
emberton,  as  his  recommendation  to  evacuate  Charles- 
dismantle  the  fortifications  would  show  ;  while  in  the 
,ond  class  we  would  place  General  G.  T.  Beauregard,  who 
nas  for  over  three  months  been  successfully  defending  the  very 
city  that  General  Pemberton  advised  evacuating.     In  making 
these  remarks,  we  will  not  say  that  General  Pemberton  believed 
attempting  the  defense  of  Vicksburg  hopeless.     We  are  certain 
he  did  all  in  his  ability  for  its  defense,  but  that  he  was  incom- 
petent to  hold  the  position  in  which  he  had  been  placed.     To 
use  the  words  of  a  distinguished  General  in  the  Confederate 
army,  "  General  Pemberton  tried  to  do  his  best,  but  was  always 
busy  doing  nothing." 

We  must  beg  to  disclaim  any  desire  to  make  this  work  a  por- 
tion of  the  history  of  this  war,  in  the  strict  sense  of  the  word. 
Our  idea  has  only  been  to  furnish  the  reader  with  a  narrative  of 
all  that  transpired  during  the  two  sieges  of  Vicksburg,  and  to 
do  justice  to  the  gallant  men  who  fought,  bled,  and  suffered  in 
its  defense.  Many  errors  and  misstatements  may  be  found  in 
it,  but  wherever  they  occur  it  has  been  from  information  obtain- 
ed from  parties  whose  high  standing  in  the  Confederate  army 
warrants  their  publication.  If  there  are  any  such  found,  we 
shall,  with  pleasure,  after  the  error  is  shown  and  proved  to  us, 
make  the  necessary  amende  honorable. 

In  conclusion,  we  would  say  that  our  censure  of  General 
Pemberton  has  not  been  influenced  by  public  opinion,  as  a  proof 
of  which  we  would  state,  that  for  months  past,  amid  the  storm 
of  charges  brought  against  General  Bragg  lor  incompetency,  we 
have  defended  him  through  the  Columns  of  the  press,  because, 
with  the  lights  before  us,  he  appeared  an  able  and  competent 
officer.  None  but  the  purest  motives  of  conscience  and  opin- 
ion have  induced  us  to  chronicle  the  censure  contained  within, 
and  though  General  Pemberton  may,  before  long,  regain  the 
confidence  of  the  people,  and  distinguish  himself  as  an  officer, 
while  we  would  with  pleasure  record  his  achievements,  we 
should  always  remain  of  the  same  opinion — that  he  exhibited  a 
great  want  of  competency  in  his  control  of  the  department  of 
Mississippi  and  East  Louisiana,  and  particularly  in  the  defense 
v    of  Vicksburg.  ^V 

the  end.       *  / 


